The Fall Project
by JonesyUSA
Summary: Ozpin is forced to hide a dangerous student in Beacon Academy. Finally free from the clutches of a tyrant, he must adjust to this new home and discover the keys of his forgotten past to find his true purpose. Action/Adventure with hints of Arkos and Qrow/Winter.
1. Obligations

_For Mom, Thank you for your love and support all these years._

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 **WHAT IS UP GUYS!? Sorry for being completely in the dark for so long, but this has been a big project of mine for quite a while now. I am very excited finally be posting!**

 **Enjoy,**

 **JonesyUSA**

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The Fall Project

Part 1: From Ashes

Obligations

* * *

Ozpin glared at the gruff man standing across from his desk. The man's dark hair had streaks of gray, and his red eyes stared straight back at Ozpin. The dusty old crow crossed his arms and groaned, "Are you gonna make a decision or not?"

The Headmaster leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together. "Qrow, let me get this straight... You expect me to harbor a runaway, Atlas Military 'super soldier' gone wrong? In a _school?!_ The answer is no. I will not endanger my students for some... problem child!" Ozpin waved a hand in his frustration. "Who told you about him?"

Qrow shook his head and frowned, "I can't tell you who, Oz. I have informants all over Remnant, and they need to be kept secret. Even from you."

Ozpin lifted his scroll, reading the boy's file for the fifth time that day. "I can't accept the risk."

Qrow growled, irritated, "You're not listening to me. He _needs_ Beacon. So far as I've seen, he can barely sneeze without blowing something up!"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about! If he goes on a rampage and-"

Qrow slammed a hand down on the desk, "What if _she_ gets a hold of him? Who would stop her then, while she has one of the post powerful military projects in history on a leash?!" He sighed and pulled a small metal canteen from his pocket. He paused for a moment to take a few gulps, then set the drink on the table. "Although I wouldn't condone Jimmy's methods, he may have actually created something that could end all of this... We don't have an option."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed, "So far, he hasn't even shown the skills necessary to enroll in Beacon!"

Qrow rolled his eyes, "You read the file, he is _definitely_ good enough. Even without using his semblance." Qrow scratched the stubble on his chin as he turned around to look down into the training room below.

The two Huntsman resided in a small observation room that overlooked an expansive training room, one of the many such buildings in Beacon Academy. The corners of the room were kept dark to prevent distractions, while the gray metal combat floor was lit by a multitude of spotlights hanging high above.

At the center of the room was a giant mechanical set of armor, wielding an equally massive sword. The behemoth was in constant motion, slashing and punching at a black cloaked figure. Each time the blade come close to hitting it's mark, the figure dove, jumped, or dodged out of danger.

Qrow frowned at the boy's timid performance, "He's just goofing off. I imagine he's bored and trying to entertain himself." He leaned forward and pressed a button at the base of a microphone on Ozpin's desk, "Hey, Nova!"

The young man dodged to the right as a giant metal boot slammed the ground. He jumped up on the machine's leg and pushed off, granting himself a safe distance. He stood straight up, shoulders squared with his opponent.

"I brought you here to show off, but all you've done is embarrass me! Show us something even _I_ haven't seen before."

The boy glanced up at the observation window for a moment. He returned his focus to his adversary, then reached both hands under his cloak. He pulled two identical swords from his back, and clasped the two weapons together. A small cylinder sprouted from the hilt of each sword, and held the blades a few centimeters apart. One hilt detached from its blade and turned 180 degrees, forming a makeshift rifle stock with the crossguard.

Once the transformation was complete, the weapon resembled a rifle, but had two parallel blades in place of a barrel. The cylinder rotated around the two blades, and began to glow bright orange as it gained speed.

Nova shouldered the weapon as the giant charged. He fired in rapid succession, each trigger pull unleashing a beam of focused energy that flash-melted through several inches of heavy plate armor.

The giant lunged forward, aiming for the boy's heart. The boy jumped and the sword embedded itself into the metal floor. He landed on the flat of the blade and pumped four more shots into its chest before back-flipping off as it was yanked from the ground.

Even while mid-air, the weapon barked over and over again, continuing to riddle the chest plate with beams of energy that pierced through the thick armor. Every attack was deftly avoided, and followed up with several shots into the armor's chest.

Ozpin continued to analyze the boy's performance, and while he was extremely agile, there were dozens of opportunities he could have taken to end the fight. "He keeps shooting the chest piece, why doesn't he just finish it?"

Qrow simply shrugged, "I don't know, just watch."

The armor began to sputter and stumble as steam and smoke rose from the great machine. The boy stood a short distance away, and stared at the giant. The weapon lowered as he cocked his head to the side, seeming to inspect the damage he had dealt. Suddenly he snapped the weapon up and fired two more times into the giant's chest, then sprinted forward and split his weapon into the twin blades.

With a powerful leap, he soared towards the head, and twisted in the air as a massive hand tried to grab him. One blade hooked into the eye of the helmet, stabilizing him as he landed on the giant's shoulder. He sheathed his right weapon and thrust his hand into the dark interior of the armor as a golden aura formed around his shadowy frame. A torrent of flames exploded from his hand, incinerating the machine's inner mechanisms and billowing wildly from every crack and crease of the armor's shell. He hopped off the shoulder, and the metal behemoth fell on its back with a hollow clang.

Ozpin's eyes widened as he saw the chest plate. The bullet holes fired into the machine's chest made a clear symbol of a bird. One wing curved upwards above the bird's head, while the other curved down below it's feet. Flames licked the scorched edges of the symbol, giving it the fiery appearance of a Phoenix. He glanced at Qrow, who was admiring the wreckage with an amused smile, "I didn't know he was _that_ good of a shot."

The boy looked up at the window, but his hood shadowed his face from view. He flourished his blade in a salute to the two Huntsmen, then turned around to admire his handiwork... just as the suit of armor collapsed and began to melt into a pool of molten metal. "Sorry! I didn't mean to do that..."

Qrow's voice boomed over the speakers "Just take a chill pill and get up here, kid." The boy sheathed his weapon and casually strolled to the elevator to the observation window. Qrow gave Oz a cocky grin, "See, I told you he can fight. So are you gonna let him in yet, or what?"

"Do you realize how risky this is? I've already accepted Ruby into the school, are you certain that you want him to be here?"

The rugged man sighed, then nodded, "I understand, and I wish we could do something else with this situation but like I said, we don't have a choice."

"Then I just want to know something before I make my final decision." Ozpin spun his chair to his right as the elevator door opened. The boy took a few silent steps forward. Now that the boy was much closer, Ozpin took a moment to inspect his appearance.

He wore a jet-black cloak that blended with the shadows and shrouded his head with a hood. The cloak was tied at his neck by a small amulet that shared the same symbol that the boy carved in to the machine minutes before. Thick black leather armor covered most of his body, lined with a multitude of straps, pouches, and containers. The armor was well kept; it looked fairly new and presented minimal wear and tear.

Nova's hands rose to his head, pulling back his hood. A faded white mask covered his face, the thin eye slits softly glowed amber. "Hello, Professor. General Ironwood sends his regards." There was a muffled cackle of static as he spoke, giving his voice a rugged sound.

"Nova Chrysus, a pleasure to meet you," Ozpin grunted, then gestured across his desk, "Take a seat, please." The boy complied without hesitation.

The two simply sat and stared at each other. An eternity seemed to pass before Ozpin finally spoke, "What do you remember before Atlas?"

Nova remained silent, his expressions and thoughts unreadable behind the smooth surface of his mask. Just when Ozpin thought he would say nothing, he took a breath, "Nothing. I woke up in a hospital bed surrounded by doctors and armed guards. They kept telling me a terrorist named Cinder killed my family. I guess I should've been upset, but I can't even remember them."

"Hmm," Ozpin stroked his chin, deep in thought. "Why do you want to become a Huntsman?"

Nova leaned forward in his chair. "For the past two years I have been given assignments for the Atlas military. As sad as it is to say, killing is the only thing I'm good at," he shrugged "I want to do the right thing with my skills, and killing monsters rather than people seems to be the best choice."

Ozpin nodded, then challenged him further "I hear you have a problem with your semblance."

He nodded "That would be another reason for me to be here. That is, if you can teach me to control it."

Ozpin frowned, "We can give you the knowledge, but you must put it into practice."

"I'm sure I'll have plenty of time on my hands."

Qrow's raspy voice interjected before awkward silence could fill the room again. "Well it's been nice chatting Oz, but as you know, I have some work to do." He stepped into the elevator and turned around, a crooked smile on his face, "You're gonna like it here, kid." The doors slid shut, and the room was left in silence.

Ozpin interlaced his fingers, and spoke with a serious tone, "I will help you. However, if you endanger my students, I will be forced to take the appropriate actions."

Nova stood, extending his hand as he offered a handshake "I won't let you down."

Ozpin returned the handshake "Good luck, Nova."

* * *

Nova was many things, but he was not oblivious. Even as he took his first few steps from the airship, he could feel the stares and dirty looks from students and Hunters alike. The people that approached him were mostly the extroverts, but occasionally some 'goody-two-shoes' would try to include the 'weird kid.'

Either way, no matter who was talking to him, they would _always_ ask the same damn question; _"Why are you wearing a mask?"_ At first he would simply tell them it isn't their business, but eventually just settled with staring at them until they left. There was less talking that way, and he was perfectly fine with that.

He thought there were a few interesting individuals; A girl with snow white hair and light-blue eyes, obviously the Schnee heiress. She had just stormed away from a raven-haired girl who looked a little too young to be attending Beacon, then immediately directed her frustration at him. It was comical to hear her flustered complaints about how 'concealing your appearance with headgear is against the rules.' He laughed at that, which of course enraged her even further.

After that he met the twins, the most energetic people he'd seen thus far. They were completely identical, with brown hair and dark green eyes. The only visual difference was their choice of weapons. One had a two-handed greatsword sheathed on his back while the other kept a thin saber clipped to his belt and wore some kind of Dust gauntlet.

The dynamic duo were arguing over who called 'dibs' on a _dangerously_ attractive young woman with long, wild blonde hair. The fight was starting to grow more intense until said blonde strolled up to them and smacked their heads together. She smiled wide as the twins rubbed their heads, then slammed her fists together. Her hair ignited into golden flames and her eyes changed from lilac to fiery red. "Now, which one of you called dibs? I want to know who's face I'm breaking first!" They immediately stammered out their accusations toward each other, and she laughed as they started yet another heated debate.

The interaction between the three made Nova chuckle. He took a quick glance at her from the boots up, noting her choice of clothing. Brown knee-length boots, mismatched socks, black shorts, pouch, and a pleated half-skirt that lengthened behind her right leg. Holding all the attachments together was a brown belt with the symbol of a burning golden heart. Black, fingerless gloves on her hands, and a pair of strange looking bracelets-possibly her weapons.

She wore a tight fitting brown vest with a yellow undershirt that showed off her... _assets..._ a little too well, and her neck was wrapped in an orange scarf. She had a pointed chin, and luscious pink lips that were locked in a harsh frown, then a small nose that turned up at the end. Her eyes were an intense, fiery red, and her thin eyebrows were furrowed as she glared angrily back at him.

Crap.

He relaxed his arms and slightly bent his knees; judging by the blonde's temperament, he may have to fight his way out of this one. Then again, if she hadn't hit him yet then maybe he could actually talk his way out of it.

She grit her teeth before finally speaking to him, "Are you done gawking?"

A smirk grew on his lips, he may actually enjoy a good fight. "That depends, am I not allowed to appreciate a beautiful young woman when I see her?" He spoke with a hint of taunting sarcasm, though his mask may have distorted his tone.

She rolled her eyes, but he did catch the slight smirk at the edges of her lips. "You're playing with fire, loverboy."

He chuckled, "I don't burn easily." If only she knew.

Her smirk grew into a wide grin, "Is that a challenge?"

His heart pounded in excitement. He would _love_ to fight. All this hiding from Ironwood had made him very stressed, and what better way to relieve stress than battling it out of your system? But… he made Ozpin a promise. The fight would have to wait. "How about a rain check? Fighting on our first day may get us thrown out."

The blonde beauty blinked a few times, her eyes changing from red to a shade of bright lilacs. "Sounds fair. Where are you from?"

He paused. It was supposed to be a secret. _He_ was a secret. Then again, he wasn't someone's puppet anymore. "The snowy 'wonderland' known as Atlas." His voice was thick with sarcasm.

She blinked a few times, surprised by his sudden change at the mention of Atlas. "Sounds like you hated it."

He nodded, "You could say that."

The girl did her own once-over of Nova, scanning him from head to toe, "You sure do like the color black."

He simply shrugged, "I like to be stealthy, so black it is."

"You hide in the shadows and stab your enemies in the back?" She crossed her arms, disappointed. There was no honor in those who waited until you were defenseless.

"Oh, hell no. I love a good fight, I just want to be able to disappear when I want to."

"I guess that's fair." She shifted her weight onto one leg, but remained silent.

He cleared his throat to interrupt the awkward pause, "Uh, I should get going."

She chuckled, and gave him a crooked grin, "You aren't even going to give me your name? You're not very good at first impressions, are you?"

He laughs in spite of himself, "I guess not. My name is Nova Chrysus." He offered a handshake, which she returned by trying to crush his fingers.

"Yang Xiao Long." She gave him a wink and a quick, two fingered salute, "See you soon." She walked past him, heading for the center of the Academy. Now _that_ was a woman with a fire in her heart.

He turned to follow a crowd of prospect students, then paused as he realized something. Yang, this bold, outgoing, and most likely hotheaded young woman, had been the only person to speak to him without asking about his mask. It may not seem like much, but it was something to note.

As he joined the crowd, he absentmindedly listened to the conversations going on around him. "-can't wait to get started-" "Where will we be sleeping?" "-killed a few Beowolves the other day-" "-heard Torchwick got beat by a little girl!" "-needed to clean Milo after a fight with an Ursa."

Nova froze. The voice he had just heard, as well as the name she had spoken, were far too familiar. Standing several feet behind him was a tall, pale-skinned young woman with long red hair held back in a ponytail. The armor she wore, as well as her natural beauty, made her look like some kind of warrior goddess of victory. A name sprouted in his mind the moment he saw her.

Nikki.

No… only he called her Nikki. Her real name is Pyrrha Nikos.

This was... strange. He has no memory of ever seeing this young woman before in his life, yet he knows exactly who she is. This lit a spark of curiosity in his mind. He wanted to know more. He _needed_ to know more, so he took a chance. "Hello, Pyrrha."

She glanced in his direction, and her brow furrowed as she saw his cloak and mask. Trying not to be rude, she gave him a smile and waved, "Hello."

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I heard you mention the name 'Milo.' Who is he?"

"My weapon is named Milo," she said with a frown.

"That's an odd name, what made you choose it?"

"I- Um..." She fidgeted, "I'm sorry, but that is a very personal topic for me."

He nodded his head, "I understand, sorry for intruding. I'll let you go about your business."

Her smile returned and her fidgeting stopped, "Thank you for not pressing the matter, Mr..."

"Nova. Just Nova, no 'sir' or 'mister.'"

"A pleasure to meet you, Nova." She said as she turned away.

"Likewise." Nova was disappointed. If he knew who she was, then perhaps they knew each other before he lost his memory. She could be a vital key in recovering what he'd lost.

On the other hand, speaking with her about it could be dangerous. What if they had been enemies? What if she lets slip some information that should be kept a secret? He needed more time to think of his situation, and weigh the potential risks and rewards before pressing her further.

Soon they arrived at what looked to be a small coliseum, currently serving as a theater for the commencement of 1st year students. Inside, Ozpin gave a remarkably cryptic speech, then the students were sent to the locker rooms to store their equipment and prepare for the potentially awkward situation of all initiates sleeping in the same room. What were these teachers thinking? No matter how big of a room you put them in, hormonal teenagers are still hormonal teenagers.

As he sauntered into the ballroom, Nova breathed a sigh of relief. All that was left was to sleep this horror show of a day off and get to the _real_ business tomorrow. He searched the large room until he found the darkest corner he could, lay down on the ground, and covered himself in his cloak. The black material blended perfectly with the shadows and to everyone else, Nova Chrysus was practically invisible.

In the meantime, Ozpin closed the new student's file with an exhausted sigh. Given the boy's history, he worried if he had made the right decision.

* * *

 ** _Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering._**

 **\- Hebrews 13:2-3**


	2. Crimson

**Author's Note:  
**

 **Hey guys, looking back on this chapter, I can see that it's pretty dull. I would go back and re-work it, but that would require far too much finagling for me to bother trying to make it good enough. I am sorry that I won't be changing it anytime soon, but I urge any new readers to push through this chapter. The real story is so much more than this.**

* * *

The Fall Project

Part 1: From Ashes

Crimson

* * *

Gabriel cheered loudly as he soared through the air. He embraced the rush he received while in free fall, spreading his arms and legs wide to slow his descent. The brown-haired boy spun around and extended his hand into the open air, "MIKE!"

A flash of blue light forced him to blink, and when he opened his eyes he found himself face-to-face with his mirror image. His identical twin Michael grabbed his arm and enveloped them both in a bright blue aura.

His insides turned out, and his vision granted only black nothingness. Reality returned as quickly as it vanished, and he suppressed the urge to vomit. The rush of free fall returned for a hair's breath, then he was torn apart and reassembled once again. This time, his feet landed on solid ground.

He doubled over and gagged, then took a few breaths to get his bearings. He looked up at his brother, who was holding back his laughter. "Dammit, Mike... Only one jump at a time!"

Mike laughed, resting his large sword over his shoulder. "Oh come on Gabe, you've had much worse. Remember when we did seven?" Gabe shuddered at the memory. He'd never been so sick in his life.

He stood and drew his own weapon, a thin saber. He eyed several chess pieces resting on pedestals that rounded the edge of the worn and overgrown stone. "What's all this?"

Mike sauntered over to the odd pieces, closely inspecting them. "Chess pieces. Probably the relics, which one should we pick?"

Gabe shrugged, "Well the Queen is the strongest in the game..."

"Woah, woah. No _way_ am I picking up a Queen. Let one of the girls pick up the Queen!"

"But it is the strongest."

"Yes, but the Queen is a girl. Are you saying you want to be a girl?"

"Hell no!"

"Then do you have any useful suggestions?"

"I don't know..." The two boys continued to search for a suitable choice, until Mike happened across the Black Knight. He stabbed his greatsword into the ground and took a stoic pose, resting his hands on the pommel of his weapon. He spoke with a pompous tone that was almost cringe worthy. "None shall pass!"

Gabe smiled wide as he caught on to his brother's antics, "What?"

"None shall pass!"

"I have no quarrel with you, good sir knight, but I must cross this bridge!"

"Then you shall die."

"I command you, as King of the Britons, to stand aside!"

They both laughed as Gabe put the chess piece in a pouch on his belt, then turned to his brother, "Can we make it back easy?"

Mike looked to the north and squinted, then a wide grin crept on his face. "Yeah, but I can't see the top of the cliff. We'll have to make two jumps again."

Gabe paled and took a deep breath, "Lets get this over with."

* * *

Ozpin always enjoyed the first day of Beacon. He had the opportunity to see the potential of his future Huntsman and Huntresses.

While he didn't like to play favorites, there were special cases almost every year. Summer's daughter for example; at 15 years old, she is already capable of laying waste to a large group of Grimm all on her own. Perhaps it runs in the family? Her sister is equally capable in combat, possibly even more so due to the nature of her semblance. No doubt their connections with Qrow led them to be the skilled fighters they are today.

"First!" He looked up from his scroll and raised an eyebrow at the two identical twins. One stared at him with a wide smile on his face, while the other looked a little sickly. "Did we set a record? I hope we set a record."

Ozpin grinned at the boys excitement, and stoically took yet another sip from his mug.

Glynda rolled her eyes and huffed at the Headmaster's cryptic ways. She checked her own scroll before answering in his place, "Our previous record was 14 minutes and 36 seconds. You completed your initiation in merely 4 minutes and 12 seconds. Congratulations, you have set the new Beacon initiation record." The duo pumped their fists and gave each other high fives in victory. "Please wait in the auditorium for the other initiates to finish."

Mike held a hand out to Gabe, "You ready to go yet? I can see the campus from here."

"No way," the boy shook his head, "I'm walking this time."

Mike shrugged, "Alright, see you in a few." A bright flash of blue and the boy vanished. Glynda's eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly the astoundingly quick retrieval made complete sense.

She noted their capabilities, then returned her attention to the scroll, keeping close watch on her _least_ favorite newcomer, Nova Chrysus. The skeptical Huntress viewed him as a threat to the other students, and had been against his induction into the academy from the very beginning.

Unfortunately, the decision has already been made. But who knows? Ozpin did see that the boy is fit to be here, so perhaps he can become the Huntsman they need him to be.

* * *

Nova was beginning to get frustrated. He had spent a large portion of his time in the Emerald Forest jumping from tree to tree, doing his best to keep hidden as he searched for a suitable partner. Someone who could hold their own in a fight and respect his privacy.

Someone like Pyrrha Nikos.

After much consideration, Nova was able to rule out the possibility that he and Pyrrha may have been enemies. Therefore, this was his chance to find out where he came from _before_ the experiments. Before Ironwood turned him into a weapon. Becoming partners with Pyrrha will make the task much easier, and most likely take far less time.

The fact that she was some kind of gorgeous warrior goddess had nothing to do with it. This was purely professional. He just needed to find her first, and wasn't having any luck.

He came across many people; the Schnee and the young red hooded girl he had seen the day before. He had hoped to see their capabilities in a fight, but just as Weiss lunged at an Alpha Beowolf, the reaper moved with incredible speed into the path of her strike, causing her to flail her Dust-charged weapon and set fire the forest. Much to his disappointment, they simply ran off rather than fight. He took the opportunity to kill a few of the Beowolves as a warm up, in case he ran into something a bit more dangerous.

As he delved deeper into the forest, he came across a brown haired boy wearing a full suit of thick body armor that was colored red. A deep red, much like the color of wine. The boy wielded a large rectangular shield and a hand-and-a-half sword, but he doubted the boy could barely hold off a group of Beowolves on his own. All that armor would absolutely restrict his movement, and a Huntsman's best weapon against the Grimm is his speed. He dismissed the boy, thinking that he wouldn't likely last four whole years at a warrior's academy.

All these people he found, and _none_ of them were the red-headed champion he was searching for.

Eventually his trek led him to the forest temple, where the relics were being held. No one was visible around the ruins, so he decided to wait behind the treeline until someone arrived before moving in to collect his own relic.

After a few minutes the fiery blonde, Yang, appeared with none other than Adam Taurus' right hand, Blake Belladonna. Nova thought about challenging her on the spot, then reconsidered. There is no doubt that Ozpin knew about her prior affiliations, and if the headmaster is giving her a chance, then so would he. The boy watched in silence as the two chatted idly for a few minutes, then picked up what appeared to be a chess piece from the ruins.

That was when things went a little chaotic. A girl's scream echoed throughout the forest, people were riding Grimm, and some were being sent flying through the air.

In the midst of the excitement, he finally laid eyes on Pyrrha. She burst from the trees on the far side of the clearing, and following close behind her was a large Deathstalker. Massive claws swept back and forth, and it's mandibles chattered in frustration as it failed to pin the Mistrali.

He immediately readied his weapon, aiming carefully for the scrambling arachnid's stinger.

"Jaune!" Her soft voice called from the valley clearing.

She already has a partner. Jealousy surged through him as he grit his teeth in frustration. Who was the fighter capable enough to be the Champion's partner? Who could have impressed her enough for her to choose them?

Not a moment later, the Schnee heiress released her grip on the Nevermore she had been clinging to, and tumbled from the sky. The blonde boy leaped from the tree he landed in to catch Weiss, causing them both to fall and land unceremoniously on the ground.

Well at least that misfit couldn't be Pyrrha's partner. But who could it be?

He scanned all of the initiates as they gathered, piecing together the partners that he already knew were in place. Blake and Yang had shown up first, so they were together, then there was the hyperactive girl and the timid-looking boy with pink in his hair, then he saw Pyrrha, Weiss, scythe-girl, and the blonde kid.

So it must be Pyrrha with Weiss and scythe-girl with the boy.

No that isn't right… She called out the name 'Jaune' just a few moments ago. But that means...

No.

It's not possible.

The boy? The _incompetent_ boy?!

Nova sat in stunned silence. He simply could not wrap his head around the idea that _T_ _HE_ Pyrrha Nikos would partner with such an unworthy student.

The snap of a high-caliber weapon tore him from his stupor. He didn't hear an impact or the hiss of a bullet, so nothing was fired in his direction. He shouldered his weapon in a flash and scanned the clearing for the source of the sniper fire.

At the center of the forest clearing a red hooded reaper stood face-to-face with a Deathstalker.

The young girl, Nova dubbed 'Red', stared at the Grimm for a few moments, then fired uselessly into the thickly armored skull of the disgusting creature. Yang ran after her as she retreated back to the ruins, but both of them were stopped as the Giant Nevermore hurled a volley of massive, razor sharp feathers down on them. Red was pinned to the ground as one pierced through her cape, while Yang slid to a stop on her heels to avoid being skewered.

He took careful aim as the Deathstalker sauntered up behind Red, and reared it's stinger back to strike the helpless girl.

As the stinger plunged down on her, he squeezed the trigger. A beam of hot energy lanced angrily from Nova's weapon, intended to knock the stinger away from it's target. The seething bolt embedded itself harmlessly into an icy barrier created by Weiss not a moment too late.

Nova grunted, sheathing his weapon and turning back into the woods. They were taking care of each other, so they can deal with this fight. For now, he needed to find a suitable partner.

* * *

His breathing labored as he ran through the wilderness. Flames licked at his legs as the fire ravenously burned it's way through the underbrush. The familiar weight of his hand-and-a-half sword provided little comfort to the boy as he fled the ravenous Grimm.

The forest was ablaze. He was forced to watch from a distance as the fires rose in the middle of the forest. His intention had been to see if there was someone who needed help, but all he ended up doing was run into a large group of Beowolves.

He grunted as a branch lashed at his cheek, drawing blood from the thin cut. He took a moment to catch his breath and glanced at the timer on the underside of his wrist.

0% aura for 60 seconds. Just 60 more seconds.

The howl of a Beowolf broke the silence, and he took off running again. He hurtled through the flames, hoping the creatures wouldn't follow him into the burning thicket.

Fine soot and ash swirled around his legs as he slowed to a stop. He'd found a small clearing, likely where the fire had started, and tried to catch his breath. The dry, hot air burned his throat and eyes.

He checked his timer again and watched as it ticked down to zero. His aura shimmered and brightened for a few seconds, then dimmed to it's usual transparency. His eyes stopped burning, and his breathing became much easier.

He breathed a sigh of relief as his aura finished regenerating. His recovery was immediately interrupted as the entire pack of Beowolves leaped over the blaze and into the ashen clearing.

He raised his sword and pulled his large shield from the strap on his back and held it firmly in front of him. His eyes darted to the inside of his shield. Scratched into the thick metal were a few simple words; _My Little Knight, Cadence Claret._ His mother had etched her words into his shield so that every time he raised it in defense of someone, he would remember her.

Once they discovered the tumors that invaded her body, he swore that he would do everything he could to become a Huntsman. Now, the dream is that much closer to being realized.

He just hoped she would've been proud of him.

Cadence breathed deep. All fear and apprehension washed away, leaving raw determination and will to survive. The snarl of a Beowolf brought him into focus on a simple runt standing a dozen feet away. The beast let out a bark, drool dripping from it's teeth as it charged him.

He lunged his shield forward to shove the creature off balance and slashed, the blade slicing clean through its neck. A tumult of growls and snarls filled the clearing as the body fell to the ground with a thud. His heart thundered in his chest as he prepared his stance yet again.

Three more scrambled forward, and he met their charge with ferocity. He swung his sword at the Beowolf to the right in a downward diagonal, cleaving it from shoulder to hip. As the blade sunk into his target, he swept his shield to the left as the center Grimm slashed, protecting him from both the center and left Beowolves at once.

His momentum carried him forward, slamming into the snarling creature. They both toppled, and as they hit the ground the force of the fall thrust his sword through its black-furred chest.

He felt the third wolf clamp down on the armor of his shoulder, the razor-sharp teeth sliding harmlessly across the boy's aura. He jerked his arm back, pulling the blade free of the pinned Grimm and elbowing the other off of his shoulder. He rolled to his left and onto his back just as the Grimm pounced on him. With a twitch of his wrist he managed to point his sword into the beast's stomach, causing it to skewer itself on his steel. It struggled and leaned forward, snapping it's jaws a few inches from his face. The foul stench of its breath nearly forced him to gag.

He kicked the dying creature off of him and scrambled to his feet. The Alpha took a few menacing steps forward as the remaining three Beowolves encircled him. The Grimm to his right strayed too close, and he slashed at its head, forcing the creature to dip below the strike and reel away. He turned his attention back to the alpha just as a massive paw slashed at him. He rose his shield and leaned toward the beast, hoping he could withstand its attack.

The shield smacked him hard in the face and threw him to the edge of the clearing, forcing his sword from his grasp. He rolled to a stop and spat the taste of ash from his mouth, then frantically searched for his sword as the Grimm scrambled toward him.

Three beams of light lanced out and struck each Beowolf, killing them instantly. He whirled around to find the shooter, but couldn't see beyond the burning foliage.

"I have to admit, when I first saw you I didn't expect much."

Cadence's heart skipped a beat as the voice seemed to come out of nowhere. He scanned the edges of the clearing, but saw nothing.

"I see now, through your determination, you do have potential." Cadence turned behind him, and stood in stunned silence as as a masked boy casually sauntered through the scorching blaze.

The Alpha growled furiously, then yelped as its eyes were singed by Nova's firearm. A third shot entered the Grimm's mouth and pierced through the back of its head, killing it instantly.

Nova quickly scanned the area, then reached down, pulling Cadence's blade out of the fire, and tossed it to him. "Still hot, be careful."

Cadence was impressed, the young man's skill was apparent. "Where did you learn to shoot?"

The boy hesitated, "I've… always been a decent shot."

Cadence was doubtful. Talent was one thing, but everyone has to train enough to master their choice of weapons. "Then what's your name?"

"Nova Chrysus," he stated bluntly, "You are?"

Cadence straightened his posture, and strapped his shield across his back, "I am Cadence Claret."

"Cade. That's a good name."

He frowned, "No, it's _Cadence_ not 'Cade.'"

Nova chuckled, "Whatever you say, Cade."

Great, one of these people. Touchy, disrespectful, and to top it all off he wears a mask. Still, he was now partnered with a seemingly skilled fighter. Maybe he could help with a few tips and tricks every now and then. For now they needed to focus on completing their objective. "Do you know what the relics are?"

"Yeah, there are a bunch of chess pieces at the ruins on the southern end of the forest. We just need to pick one and go back to the cliff."

"Chess pieces, huh? Well I want to pick a knight, what do you want?"

"It doesn't really matter to me."

"Knight it is, then."

* * *

"Cadence Claret, Michael Sepia, Gabriel Sepia, and Nova Chrysus. The four of you retrieved the Black Knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… Team CMSN. Led by; Cadence Claret." Ozpin gave the team a nod, which Cadence responded with a crisp salute, the twins gave each other high fives, and Nova simply walked off the stage without a word.

Cade walked more swiftly to catch up with the boy, "Hey Nova, while I do respect your privacy, we are going to be partners for a few years. We're going to have to trust each other."

Nova kept walking, "Let's just get to our dorm."

Cade fell back to talk with the twins, who bragged about their new record for the Beacon initiation. While he was proud to have been appointed leader, he was a bit disappointed with his team. They may be skilled, but they all lacked professionalism.

"Oh crap its her again!" The twins leaped behind them and used both Nova and Cadence as a shield as team RWBY walked by.

Yang gave her trademark grin when she saw Nova, "Still waiting for that fight."

Nova shook his head, "Give me a few weeks, I need to learn a few important things before I go into any student sparring."

She shrugged, "Hey if you're scared just say it, don't beat around the bush."

He nudged one of the twins with his elbow, "Not as scared as these two."

"Oh, they have good reason to be scared." Her eyes flickered between red and lilac as she blinked, smiling as they cowered behind their teammates. Cade glanced at them, seeing their own smirks.

Cade interjected before the meeting could press further, "We should get going, we still have to get our uniforms and schedules after we go to our rooms."

Yang waved a hand as she walked away, muttering something about a stick in the mud.

They all piled into the room and sat down on each of their immediately claimed beds, scattered across the room. Cade took the one closest to the window, the twins took the beds on either side of the door, and Nova took the one closest to the team's bathroom. They each were provided with a desk and dresser for clothes and schoolwork.

They all sat down, and Nova let out a long sigh. "We are going to be a team for four whole years, so I'm just going to get this out of the way now."

He lifted his mask, and Cadence's eyes widened. Nova's gaze shifted between the three, watching their stunned reactions with his mismatched eyes. His right was a bright gold that none of them had ever seen, and the left showed only the ghostly white of blindness.

Scars were scattered across his face from his jaw up to his nose, then moved to his left eye, all the way up to the temple. All of them were small and none were the same size or shape, even a chunk from the tip of his nose was missing. He was, in the politest sense, disfigured.

Nova lifted his hands as if he were shielding himself, left hand guarding his neck and right hand covering the right side of his face, fitting perfectly with the clean parts of his skin. "It looks like something exploded in my face, right? My best guess is that I managed to put my hands up and protect my neck and part of my face."

"You don't know what happened?" Mike asked. He didn't respond, and simply put his mask back on.

"Now you know the reason for the mask. Don't ever ask me to take it off."

* * *

 ** _Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another._**

 **-Ephesians 4:25**


	3. Predator

The Fall Project

Part 1: From Ashes

Predator

* * *

Nova strained, his hand extended toward a brazier alight with dancing flames. The fire was pulled into the air, condensing into a ball of burning light. With a point of his finger he guided the fireball around the room, sending it into rapid circles, flips, and spins.

Glynda raised her riding crop and lifted a collection of various hoops, poles, sheets of metal; anything that could be used as an obstacle. She sent them swirling around the room in mid air as a complex test for Nova. The ball streaked through the obstacles, dodging them by mere inches.

Several minutes passed before the fireball spiraled downward along a steel pole and slowed, resting a few inches above Nova's open palm. Glynda smiled, happy to see her student's progress. "Excellent work, Mr. Chrysus. You have come far after merely a few weeks."

He nodded, "Thank you professor, but again, please call me Nova. I'm not exactly the most professional person, and every time you say 'mister' or 'sir' it makes me feel weird."

She looked at him with an impassive expression, "We are here on business. I am teaching, and you are learning. Thus our relationship will go no further than that of professionals."

"Formal it stays, then," He muttered.

She pressed a few buttons on her datapad, saving the previous recording to study later on. "We should take the next step. You are showing excellent directional control, perhaps we should work next on division."

"What exactly do you mean by division?"

She began a new recording, then lifted up a cinder block with her semblance. The block split into four pieces, rotated for a few seconds, then were fused back together. "You must be able to control multiple entities or 'sources' at one time, and maybe even split them if you have limited options."

Nova lifted the ball into the air, "You want me to split it? That sounds extremely difficult."

"Even more reason to practice it. For now just focus on turning one source of energy into two."

Nova nodded and returned his focus to the ball. The perfect sphere began to stretch, widening and flattening into the shape of an oval as it was pulled apart. An ache in his forehead slowly grew, changing his new experiment into an arduous and painful task.

The boy growled in frustration. Several minutes had passed and the ball of fire had changed into multiple different shapes and sizes, still failing to split apart. He raised both of his hands and curled his fingers, imagining that he was physically grabbing the ball and pulling it apart. This time the surface of the ball began to crawl, pinpricks of light began to burst from within as it destabilized.

Glynda saw the change and took several steps back, just in case. "Remember to control your breathing."

"I can get it! Just let me-" The ball detonated, engulfing him in orange flames. The explosion threw Glynda backwards, slamming her into the wall. Broken concrete and metal fell over her shoulders as she gasped air back into her lungs. She broke into a fit of coughs and shielded her eyes from the heat as the fire billowed outward, bathing the entire training floor in a searing blaze.

After a few seconds the fire died out. The metal floor glowed a dull red that faded quickly as it cooled, but the entire room's temperature had risen higher than that of a hot summer day. Nova, unphased by the heat, brushed himself off and turned to the professor, "Sorry, you okay?"

Glynda stood and smoothed out her skirt, then pushed her glasses further up on her nose and nodded, "I'll be fine, thank you." She had already begun to sweat from the massive change in temperature.

He scratched the back of his head, "So how do I keep that from happening again?"

Glynda struggled to breathe in the infernal heat, and tugged on the choking grip of her collar. She considered for a moment his predicament, and how to resolve it. "It seems as though your frustration is directly tied to the difficulty of controlling your semblance. Try to be more aware of your anger. If you find that you are losing control, do everything you can to calm down."

"Sometimes that can be nearly impossible to do. In the heat of a fight, instinct can take over."

Her eyes narrowed as a bead of sweat trailed down her cheek, "Fighting with more than instinct is what separates us from the Grimm. Keep a calm and focused mind and victory will come easier."

"Yeah, well the problem is that I fight best when I let my instincts take over." He said, then turned away from the professor.

She ended the last recording and saved it, hoping to end the day and get out of the boiling room. "That is enough for today, we will try again tomorrow."

He waved, "See you tomorrow." She simply nodded and walked off to gather her things.

Nova stepped through the doors of the training room, but then he immediately wanted to step back inside to get Glynda. Team CDNL had been waiting; Russel Thrush was on his right, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and directly in his path Sky Lark and Dove Bronzewing had their backs to him as they laughed at some joke that Cardin had just made. The tall mace-wielder saw Nova from over his teammates' shoulders and stepped forward.

Cardin had a reputation of causing trouble, and the last thing Nova needed was more trouble. The best option he had then, was to have a professor within reach. That being said, he wasn't the kind of person to back down.

He held the door open in a hope that it may dissuade Cardin from doing anything to him in case Glynda overheard them, but the boy didn't seem to care. "So the 'faceless wonder' is getting special training from Goodwitch? Who's ass did you kiss?"

"Are you saying she doesn't give you the same special treatment?"

Cardin stepped well within Nova's personal boundary, but he stood his ground. "Goodwitch doesn't give anyone special treatment." he pointed a finger at Nova, "You never fight in combat class, and you're getting tutoring from Goodwitch. What are you hiding?"

"I'd love to tell, but frankly it's not your business."

Thankfully, Glynda stepped into the doorway before the interaction could worsen. The professor looked a bit disheveled. Her hair had come loose, letting a few strands of her bangs fall in front of her eyes. Her face and neck were flushed red, and she dabbed her neck and forehead with a handkerchief.

She held out a small memory chip to Nova, filled with recordings of his training, "These should help you in your studies." he thanked her and took the chip, quickly inserting it into his scroll. The four boys looked at each other in confusion. Russel pointed at the two in the doorway, then leaned over to Sky and whispered something in his ear.

The professor turned to team CDNL and adjusted her glasses, "Is there a problem here students?"

Cardin sneered at Nova. "No problem, professor. I was just asking our friend here if he needed a private tutor."

She gave him a stern glance, "I highly doubt that is the truth. Besides, Nova already has all the assistance he requires."

The masked boy in question looked at her with concern. Call it a sixth sense or a gut feeling, but he could tell something was definitely wrong with the professor. "Are you sure you're okay? You look a little tired."

She waved away his concern and shook her head. "It seems that our training session has taken more out of me than I expected. A glass of water and I should be fine."

He didn't believe a word she said. Before he could question her further, she looked up at the other students. "Now, unless you all require a lesson in combat, I recommend that you all go about your business." The team walked away, whispering to each other.

"I think he's getting extra combat training. If they're not letting him fight in class, then he must be even worse than Jauney-boy." Cardin stated to his teammates.

"Did you guys get a look at Goodwitch? She looked all hot and bothered," Russel said with a smug grin, "Do you think there's a teacher-student thing going on between them?"

Dove cut him off, "Don't be ridiculous, it's Goodwitch we're talking about. She wouldn't-"

Cardin cut him off, "No, he's got a point. I bet we could get some damn good blackmail if we got our hands on that memory chip she gave him."

The brute considered what he knew about Nova. He always kept to himself, never spoke up in class, and doesn't even eat with everyone in the cafeteria. The day before, he saw the boy leaving the history wing when a gust of wind made his black cloak flap wildly, revealing the two swords sheathed across his back.

He knew that if Nova keeps himself fully armed, he is trying to give everyone a textbook 'don't mess with me' appearance. The brute saw straight through the ruse; he was obviously working with the teachers because he was too far behind the other students.

"Let's tail him later today. We'll get the truth out of him."

Nova frowned as the team of bullies left. He knew that idiots like those love to make trouble, and he would probably have to deal with them in the future. He looked back at the Professor, who had her eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed in a grimace, and she was messaging her temples.

But of course, she's fine right? Wrong.

Nova cleared his throat to gain Glynda's attention, "Professor, my semblance is unique. Not only can I control energy, but I can sense it as well. I spent a lot of time in the medical bay of the base I was on, helping the doctors figure out what was wrong with some of the patients. Over time I developed the ability to get a detailed 'view' of the energy within someone's body when I touch their skin."

She raised an eyebrow, "I have a feeling you're about to ask me to do something odd."

He shrugged, "Depends on your point of view. Although you should know; without coming in contact with you I can already tell that you've been radiating an extremely large amount of heat. I just want to make sure it isn't something serious." He took off his glove and held out his hand, waiting for her to accept it.

The professor stared at him for a few seconds, "You think I'm foolish enough to believe all that nonsense?"

"You said we would be professional. I am completely serious."

She stared at him for a few seconds, trying to determine whether or not it was a joke. Eventually she sighed and took his hand. He pulled her arm closer and rolled back her sleeve, "How do you feel?"

She nodded, "I've had a terrible headache ever since the accident you just had in training." He took a deep breath to focus, then placed two fingers under her wrist, feeling for her pulse.

The moment he touched her arm, his senses were overwhelmed with information. He felt every heartbeat, every pulse of her nervous system, every little bit of energy, and how it flowed throughout her body.

"Give me a few seconds, there's a lot going on." Several moments passed, and Glynda was growing impatient.

"Your blood is running hot, and most of your organs are overheating." He fixed her sleeve and let go of her hand, then slipped his glove back on. "I could try to absorb some of the heat, but considering the fact that this is probably my fault, I'll probably just make things worse. I highly recommend you get to the infirmary as soon as possible, and let a medical professional handle it."

He shook off a bit of disorientation, then walked off to meet his team in the library. "Good day, Professor."

Glynda blinked in surprise. She had always viewed Nova as a risk to the other students, but seeing a side to him that actually expressed concern was a bit of a relief. This was certainly something to report to Ozpin once She was finished in the the infirmary.

* * *

The library of Beacon academy is very special for many people. A place of peace, of study. A place to lose yourself in another world and escape the harshness of reality, or to learn more about the world around you.

And so, it was not an odd thing to see Blake Belladonna walking down the halls, nose-deep in the pages of a book.

She passed several tall bookshelves, oblivious of the world around her as the book seized her attention. She yelped and her heart lurched into her throat as someone grabbed her by the crook of her arm and yanked her to a secluded corner of the library.

"Let go!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. She grabbed the gloved fingers of her kidnapper and pried him off, huffing in irritation as she glared at the masked boy. "What do you want?!"

"Hello, Blake Belladonna."

"You pulled me over here to say 'hi'," She asked. Realizing that he used her name, she gave him an inquisitive look, "Have we met?"

He shook his head, "No, not exactly. How is your boyfriend?"

Oh, so he's trying to see if she is available. Typical. However, two can play at that game... She gave him a slight smile, and tilted her head ever so slightly for good measure, "He is doing well, thank you for asking."

"Oh, really?" The boy chuckled, "Last I heard he had quite a large target painted on his back."

Well... that doesn't make any sense at all. Still, she played along, showing the boy a false expression of worry. "What are you talking about? When?"

The boy leaned toward her, whispering in a barely audible voice, "When General James Ironwood ordered me to kill Adam Taurus."

A thousand warning bells, sirens, red flags, and a car crash went off in her mind all at once, every single one of them screaming at her to run away from this boy _right now_.

She took a step away from him, and ducked when his arm snapped up to grab her head. She leaped backwards and left a shadow clone in her place, but felt a harsh tug on the ears atop her head. She landed silently and instinctively covered her cat ears, then scrambled forward, doing everything she could to get her hands on her bow. He managed to hold her at bay while she wildly reached over his shoulder. "Give that back!"

He jammed the ribbon in his pocket, "Not until you listen to what I have to say."

Blake grit her teeth, "Be quick about it."

"Every organization has its enemies. Take Beacon for example, it would be quite a tragedy if a certain group of terrorists were to create chaos from the inside... and who better to do it than Adam's favorite kitty-cat?"

"I'm not working for them," She snapped, "Not anymore."

"Of course not. I'll be keeping an eye on you, nonetheless." He held out her ribbon and with a blur of motion she snatched it away, and quickly tied the bow back on her head. "As for me, I absolutely refuse to work for the General anymore, and went AWOL just before the mission. So long as you don't endanger my team, you have nothing to fear from me."

He put the book back in her hands and pushed her into the hall. If the book weren't upside down it may have looked like the conversation had never occurred.

* * *

Hours passed, and the sun had long since fallen, leaving only a dull red afterglow over the horizon. Yang yawned and stretched her arms as the team walked back to their dorm. She sighed at the end to another long, disappointingly boring day in school.

Blake flinched and looked to her right. Yang followed her gaze, and saw Nova walking toward the training gym. Just before he rounded the corner team CDNL appeared, and they were oddly silent. She watched as they took the same path toward the gym, and followed Nova around the corner.

She didn't like where that seemed to be going. "Hey, you guys go ahead. I need to check on something."

Ruby cocked her head, "Want us to help?"

Yang shook her head and gave her trademark grin, "Nah, I can handle it." She waited for all of them to leave, then quietly followed Cardin and his cronies.

It wasn't long before she caught up with them. She walked around the corner to see the group across a large courtyard surrounding Nova, who hadn't made any kind of move whatsoever. Even against four huntsman-in-training, he still held his ground seemingly without any problems at all. She walked forward steadily, ready to sprint if things went south before she could get to the group.

They did nothing to hide their voices, so she listened intently, "What's up with the mask, mystery boy?"

"It helps keep my face pretty."

They all laughed hysterically, then Cardin gave him a grin, "I have to admit, you seem to have an ounce of wit. If only you had the brains to match."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cardin sneered, "Well you see, my team and I are having some trouble with Port's homework. How about you help us write that report."

Nova chuckled, "You really think you can intimidate me into doing your homework?"

The team leader shrugged, "I prefer to call it persuasion. Guys?" Cardin smiled maliciously, "Let's _p_ _ersuade_ our friend to see things our way."

Nova growled in a low voice, "I don't want trouble. Let's all just go back to our dorms and forget this whole interaction."

Cardin scoffed, "Once you finish those assignments, I'll consider it." The team began to circle Nova, cutting off any escape for him.

"I'm warning you. Back. Off."

Cardin nodded in Dove's direction, and the boy charged Nova. Yang readied her gauntlets and she broke into a sprint, ready to jump into the one-sided fight.

Nova dodged a right hook from Dove and caught the boy's arm, twisting hard to throw the boy off balance. With a left foot he kicked the boy's feet out from under him, then delivered a massive downward right-handed punch that cracked the concrete as Dove's head hit the ground.

Yang skidded to a halt, her jaw dropping in awe as the rest of the team dove on Nova, and the masked boy tore the them apart.

He swung a swift punch at Russel, who leaped back to avoid the attack, then turned and threw a hard kick into Cardin's shoulder. The brute staggered as Nova jumped up to plant a boot on his face, then jumped off to shove Cardin to the ground.

Nova soared through the air toward Sky and delivered a vicious strike that sent the boy flying. He smacked into the side of the building and looked up at the rest of his team. Dove didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon, Cardin was getting reckless, and Russel was doing everything he could just to dodge Nova's punches.

Russel saw an opening and threw a swift jab that Nova evaded, then he leaped backwards before the masked boy could throw a counter-punch. Nova lunged forward and snatched one of Russel's ankles as the boy flew mid-air, and pulled hard. Russel yelped as he was yanked backwards, then Nova's knee slammed into Russel's jaw hard enough to make everyone flinch.

Sky's eyes widened in fear as Russ fell to the ground unconscious. They were getting _destroyed_. "Screw this! I'm getting Professor Goodwitch!" He pulled himself to his feet and ran past Yang, who was watching the fight with excitement.

Nova took the initiative and lunged toward Cardin, ducking below a massive haymaker from the towering bully and dashing behind him. He grabbed Cardin's collar from behind and spun, throwing the boy headfirst into a stone pillar. Cardin lifted his arms to protect his face, but Nova threw an uppercut that sent him into a daze, then punched him twice in the face. Before the third punch, his arm ignited into bright flames, and he drew his hand back to deliver a dangerous semblance-empowered strike.

He caught a flash of golden hair in the corner of his eye, and turned to Yang. Suddenly he remembered that he was attending a school, and needed to avoid doing anything... drastic. He took a deep breath and shook his hand, letting the fire die off.

Nova started to stand when Cardin grabbed him by his cloak, "Listen, you little punk-"

"No. _You_ listen to _me_." Nova hissed, just quiet enough that Yang wouldn't be able to hear him. "I'm letting you off easy this time. Attack me again and I'll hang you up by your entrails and feed you to the Nevermores."

Considering the thrashing that his team had just gotten, Cardin decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to test the truthfulness to his words.

Nova pulled Cardin up on his feet and pushed him over to the remainder of his team, then walked over to Yang.

Yang managed to snap her jaw shut after witnessing the sheer devastation. "Wow. Just… Wow."

"Are you done gawking?" He said, no doubt smirking under his mask.

She squinted and gave him a crooked grin, "Touche."

He cracked his knuckles, keeping a close eye on Cardin, who was helping his team to their feet. "Isn't it a little late for you to be wandering around? You could be jumped by a bunch of idiots."

Before she could respond, the loud taps of a certain professor's high-heels could be heard from around the corner.

* * *

"I still don't know why I'm in trouble." Nova shrugged as he stood across from Ozpin's desk. "They attacked me, so I ended the threat."

Ozpin frowned and spoke with a very serious tone, "You gave me your word that you would not endanger my students."

"It wasn't my fault. _They_ attacked _me_. Besides, it's not like I killed anyone."

"But you could have!" Glynda chided from across the room, standing next to Yang. "If you can't control your temper, then how can we trust that you won't put others in serious danger?"

Nova whirled around to face Goodwitch, "Control? What do you know about control?! I controlled the entire fight _and_ managed to keep my semblance from turning them all into a pile of scorched dumb-ass! The people you need to be lecturing are the morons who attacked me!" Goodwitch silently fumed as the boy spewed his frustrations at her.

He turned back to Ozpin, furious, "When someone attacks me I _will_ defend myself! I did everything I could to make them back off, but they attacked anyway. Don't believe me? Ask Yang, she saw the whole thing."

Ozpin's gaze turned to the blonde, "Is it as he says, Miss Xiao Long?"

Yang took a nervous step away from the enraged professor Goodwitch and nodded, "Yeah, they all attacked him at once. I don't think he was overly aggressive, he just ended the fight as quickly as he could."

"Exactly," Nova interjected, "If the fight went on longer then someone could've been seriously injured."

The Headmaster shook his head, "The fact of the matter is that you had an unsanctioned fight with another- _four_ other Huntsmen in training. All involved members will be disciplined..." Nova huffed his disapproval and crossed his arms, but Ozpin continued before he could protest, "...and the ones who instigated the fight will have additional tasks, all to be determined by professor Goodwitch."

The boy stared at Ozpin for a few seconds, clearly still unhappy with the ruling. "Fine."

"You are dismissed. Go straight to your dorms, the both of you." Ozpin watched the two students until the elevator door slid shut, then pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. "That boy certainly has some moxie. When was the last time a student told you exactly what they were thinking?"

She gave herself some time to calm down before voicing her opinion of the boy, "I just don't understand how he can go from saving me from a heatstroke to nearly killing an entire team in just a few hours time."

"There are two sides to every coin, Glynda. You caught a glimpse of his softer side after his accident in training. Once he finds someone he trusts, I am certain that he will come around."

The two students stood in silence as the elevator descended to the ground floor of the Beacon communications tower. Yang was doing everything she could to keep herself from asking Nova the myriad of questions that plagued her mind, but she kept catching herself staring at the boy.

She didn't last ten seconds before her curiosity got the best of her. "So... Where did you learn to fight like that? How come no one here knows you? Are you really seventeen or are you older?"

"Woah, woah." He held up a hand and shook his head before she could continue, "I don't play that game."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion, "What game?"

"Fifty questions." In truth, he had asked the same questions himself not too long ago, and he was getting really sick of not knowing the answers.

"Okay, but really, where did you learn how to fight?"

He breathed a long, tired sigh as the elevator began to slow, "Look, I just got attacked by four thugs, and then was ridiculed for protecting myself. If it's the same to you, I'm just gonna call it a night."

Yang put a hand on her hip, disappointed that he kept dodging everything. "Alright, fine. Goodnight, Nova."

She swore to herself that she would get him to talk eventually.

* * *

 ** _Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil._**

 **-Psalm 37:8**


	4. All in the Past

**Sorry for the long wait.**

* * *

The Fall Project

From Ashes

All in the Past

* * *

Being a student in a prestigious academy such as Beacon had its benefits. Superb schooling, incredible food, state-of-the-art weapon maintenance, and around every corner was a young woman beautiful enough to be a supermodel.

Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. Training was rigorous and often dangerous, free time was rather rare due to all the work that went into studies, and all said supermodels were monster-slaying warriors more than capable of turning you inside out. Needless to say, sometimes the stress of everyday life can take a toll.

And so, whenever the skies were clear, the sun was shining, and a gentle breeze kept the temperature _just right_ , nearly the entire school would take the time to enjoy the near-perfect weather.

RWBY, JNPR, and CMSN sat together under the shade of a large Oak tree. Everyone had opted to wear their standard combat attire save for Nova, who took the 'perfect day' to relax. He wore a simple black shirt that left little of his muscular frame to the imagination, and baggy pants with a belt that held his swords at either side of his hips.

While everyone seemed to accept Cade, Mike, and Gabe with open arms, both Ren and Blake did not trust Nova. They locked eyes and gave each other a slight nod, making a silent pact. Both would keep a watchful eye on him, and should he give the slightest sign of hostility, they would be the first to act.

Fortunately for them, the first thing the swordsman did was climb up into the tree to take a nap. The rest of his team studied for the time being, trying to decipher the strange teachings of professor Port.

Cade tapped a page of his notebook with a pencil while explaining to Mike and Gabe that Port's lectures actually do have a point to them. "He is teaching us vital weak points in all the different types of Grimm."

Mike groaned, "And where did you get that?"

The team leader turned a few pages and jabbed a finger down once he found the place he was looking for, "Just look, every time he talks about fighting Deathstalkers, he always ends up cutting off or damaging its stinger, and then taking out the joints in its legs and claws. Whenever he is fighting a Nevermore, he goes after the wings and the eyes. If its a Beowolf, he uses his strength and speed, and so on. If you guys paid more attention, I'm certain you would've come to the same conclusion."

Gabe pushed his brother out of the way to see the notes more closely, "Wow, okay lets get to deciphering these stories." They quickly dug into their studies with renewed vigor despite their missing team member.

Jaune and Pyrrha sat next to each other with their backs to the tree. The red-head was listening to a slow-motion recording of Dr. Ooblek's class, hoping to catch all the information that the professor spewed out at an incredible rate.

She glanced at Jaune, who had several writings splayed out at his feet, occasionally referencing them while scribbling in a notebook that he kept in his lap. She reached down and picked one up and after skimming a few lines, saw that it was a detailed analysis of the combat capabilities of Ruby Rose. Taking another glance at each of the other pages, she realized that each person of teams RWBY, JNPR, and CMSN had their own page.

She tapped him on the shoulder and paused the recording, then waved at the collection of information, "What's all this for?"

"Hm? Oh, Professor Ozpin gave me a special assignment yesterday," he said, "He wants me to keep track of all the strengths and weaknesses of each person in our teams and then come up with a strategy to take on a task we may have to do in the future."

She smiled wide and nudged his arm with her elbow, "See, I _told_ you that you are a natural-born leader. Ozpin can see it too." He gave her a warm smile and she shifted ever so slightly closer to him to peek at what he was writing, "Can I help with anything?"

He pulled his notes away to hide them from her prying eyes and grinned, "Actually, I think that would be cheating. Although now that I think about it I don't really have much on you with person-versus-person fighting..."

She leaped on the opportunity to spend some time alone with him, "I could show you a couple videos from the Mistral Regional Tournament. It would be a good chance for me to show you a few tips when fighting other huntsman, as well."

He blinked a few times, surprised by her enthusiasm, "Uh-sure, sounds like fun! We can do that before dinner tonight."

Yang's eye cracked open as she heard what Jaune said, and had an immediate urge to jump in and make the two lovebirds uncomfortable, but she was far too relaxed to even get up at this point. She found the perfect place beneath the oak tree, where she lay on her back, eyes closed beneath her sunglasses as she breathed in the sweet summer air. The soft green grass was cool to the touch, and a root from the tree kept her head elevated at just the right angle. It really was a fantastic day.

Yang opened her eyes, gazing up into the golden rays of sunlight that broke through the mess of leaves and branches. Resting on a thick tree branch with his feet against the trunk of the tree, was Nova. She wondered about him; when he showed up with his team he looked exhausted, and the first thing he did was say he was tired and jump up into the tree to fall asleep.

Blake sat to Yang's left and saw that she was staring at the masked boy. She leaned over to and complained in a hushed voice, "Why did you _really_ invite Nova? He isn't some boy-toy for you to play with, he is dangerous. A mask, cloak, and no background? I don't mind his team but _he_ can't be trusted!"

She sat up and slid her sunglasses to rest on top her head and sneered, "Look at you, trying to eliminate the competition."

"I'm serious!"

Yang rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Look, he has obviously been through some serious crap, so I want to help him make some real friends. Yeah he's a little weird but you can't tell me you aren't at least a tiny bit curious about him."

"Not really," she hissed, and Yang could've sworn she saw that bow on her head twitch.

"Well I want to know," she shrugged and lay back down, "Plus, it will be nice to help someone break out of their shell." She spared a glance up at Nova, wondering if the boy really was asleep or just pretending.

Blake shook her head, "Just... be careful." The blonde waved nonchalantly, not at all concerned.

Yang couldn't come up with a reason that he could be so tired, and asking Nova himself was pretty much useless, so she decided to talk to Cade to figure out what was wrong. Luckily he sat just to her right, so she nudged him in the shoulder, "Will he wake up if we talk too loud?"

Cade laughed, "Actually he hasn't been sleeping well for the past few days. I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed like that for the next few hours. The same thing happened when we all went to Forever Fall. He said he found a perfect spot to have some privacy, and accidentally fell asleep. He ended up jumping at us from the above and nearly scared us all half to death."

She giggled, "Yeah that sounds like something he would do. What do you mean he isn't sleeping well?"

"Well, he's been waking up in the middle of the night because of nightmares. I asked about it and he said they should go away soon."

Yang frowned, knowing that saying that was just a way for Nova to get someone to drop the subject. At the same time, he's not an idiot. If the dreams get bad enough then he will ask for help. She decided to change topics, "Is he opening up at all?"

He shrugged, "Sort of. He is being more considerate as of late. I asked him to teach Gabe the tournament regulations in a team vs. team fight for Glynda's homework and instead of just telling us off like I thought he would, he actually helped."

The blonde shrugged, "Well it's better than nothing."

"Yeah."

The leaves above them rustled as Nova snapped up from his dreams and slashed at his feet, cutting through the top third of the thick tree limb. Everyone looked up as the branch loudly cracked and started to fall.

"Look out!" Ruby yelled, vanishing in a cloud of rose petals, then reappearing a dozen feet away with a terrified-looking Weiss in her arms. Mike grabbed Cade and Gabe and teleported out of the way of the falling branch, while Pyrrha rolled backward and pulled Jaune with a tug of her semblance.

Yang took the most direct approach by jumping to her feet and upper-cutting the branch hard enough to shatter several feet of a freshly broken tree limb. A split-second later Nova hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud.

As he scrambled to his feet one of the branches caught his shirt in several places. With a blur of motion and the ring of steel he whirled around with both swords, tearing his shirt and slashing the branch to pieces. He dropped into an extremely low stance, his gaze snapping from point to point.

Blake and Ren had their weapons at the ready instantly, and stared intently at him, waiting for his move. After a few agonizing moments he relaxed and sheathed his swords as he stood straight. His heart was pounding, and his breath was ragged, "Sorry." He cursed under his breath looked down at his shirt, now a torn mess of fabric that barely held together.

Yang wagged her eyebrows at Blake with a wide grin, knowing exactly what she liked to see. Blake's self control held strong enough to keep her from stealing a glance of the young man's well sculpted abdomen, but the blush on her cheeks told Yang that her imagination had already taken hold. Weiss managed to cover Ruby's eyes, who innocently protested.

Mike gave Nova a concerned glance, "So what was that all about? You cut the limb that you were sleeping on for God's sake."

"My dream got a bit too realistic," Nova stated plainly.

The twins just shrugged and sat down to return to their studies, while Nova knelt to the ground and lifted the heavy tree limb and leaned it up against the trunk of the large tree. He started to gather the broken branches as the rest of the group collected their scattered papers and textbooks.

Once Jaune and Pyrrha gathered all of the pages, the red-head whispered into Jaune's ear. He turned to his teammates, "Hey guys, we're going to the dorm to watch a couple videos." They all waved the duo away, and Nora knowingly smiled wide at Ren.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Mike clapped his hands together, "So when's the wedding?"

"Please," Weiss scoffed, "that boy couldn't take a hint if it threw him off a cliff."

Ruby put a fist on her hip and jabbed a finger at Weiss, "You can't throw Jaune off of a cliff, he's too nice."

"I didn't say I would throw him off a cliff!"

"But you were thinking it!"

Blake rolled her eyes and looked at Yang, expecting the blonde to add her opinion to the mix. Rather than focusing on her team, she frowned and stood cross-armed and switched her gaze back and forth between Cade and Nova.

Yang was irritated. She had been waiting for CMSN team leader to dig deeper into his partner's problems, but they were literally more interested in Professor Port's lectures than trying to help their own teammate.

She growled through her teeth when the silence persisted, then cracked a few of Cade's ribs with a swift elbow, causing him to wince painfully. His head snapped in her direction, giving her a questioning glare.

She cracked her knuckles and nodded in Nova's direction, giving a clear message; talk to your partner, or feel the fury of her infamous shotgun-infused punches. He quietly sighed, then took a step toward his masked partner. "Is there any way we can help? I don't know much about dreams, but maybe we can come up with something to help you sleep."

Nova shook his head, "No, I can... Actually do any of you know the best way to remember a dream?"

Everyone looked up, surprised that the swordsman actually asked for help for the first time. They all looked at each other, unsure of how to answer the odd question.

After a few moments, Blake was the one to come up with an idea, "Well, I've actually heard that writing down your dream as soon as you wake up is a good way of retaining that memory. You can write while it's fresh in your mind, that way you can keep the memory even if you forget."

He tapped a finger on his chin, "I don't think I'm much of a writer but I'll give it a try." He dropped a large bundle of branches at the base of the tree.

"Why are you trying to remember your dreams?" Cade asked.

Nova scratched the back of his head and explained in a hushed voice, "I think there is more to these dreams than I first thought. My dreams are more than emotion and feint images, they are extremely realistic, and include extreme detail, like the senses and even pain. I've never heard that in normal dreams."

Cade's eyebrows rose, "Sounds like you might be getting some memory back."

Nova nodded, "I can only hope so." He walked over to Mike and placed a hand on the twin's shoulder. "I need a new shirt. How many jumps to the room?"

Mike shook his head, "The dorm is at the other side of Beacon, so at least six."

The masked boy let out a chuckle, "Alright, lets get going." Before Yang could stop them, they vanished in a flash of light.

Gabe shook his head with a bewildered look on his face, "The most jumps I ever did with Mike was seven. I threw up for an hour straight and was bedridden for three days. But Nova? I saw him do twelve jumps without even flinching."

Cade chuckled, "Yeah he told me that he enjoyed teleporting because it felt like he was flying."

Yang grinned, "Sounds like he's and adrenaline junkie."

"We're hunters in training, all of us are adrenaline junkies," Gabe quipped, "But _flying?_ How weird can you get?"

"Hey, cut the crap," Cade snapped, "Don't ever talk bad about your teammates, got it?"

Gabriel put up his hands in surrender, "Okay, sorry. Geesh"

Yang took a few steps back to give them some space, and was glad to see the Cadence did show a decent amount of leadership. Earlier that week he had explained a bit of Nova's situation to her; that he had amnesia and was trying to find his place in the world. Cadence may be a stick in the mud at times, but he is a good person. Given time, even Nova might trust him.

* * *

Jaune and Pyrrha made their way to their dorm room slowly, the red-head listing off the 'dos' and 'do nots' of tournament fighting. Be ready for anything, look for weaknesses in the other person's fighting style, don't be distracted by the crowd, and so on.

Jaune followed along easily, but grew more and more concerned as the list grew. The school he was in was full of people who already knew all of these basic principles, and he was so far behind that it would take someone as patient as Pyrrha to catch him up.

He was thankful for that.

Ever since day one, Pyrrha had been nothing but kind to him; always helping him in studies, keeping him (mostly) out of trouble, and cheering him up when he was feeling down. She even went so far as to keep his closely guarded secret, that he had cheated his way into Beacon.

He supposed he had a lot to be thankful for.

Once the duo finally arrived at the dorm, Pyrrha suggested they change into something a bit more comfortable. Jaune went first, and was in and out in less than a minute, wearing a white shirt and blue sweatpants. As he walked out of the dorm's shared bathroom, Pyrrha inserted a memory chip into the projector on her desk. The thin metal bar to sprung to life, raising a holographic display large enough to view comfortably from the middle of the room.

"Don't start without me," she said, then took her turn to change. Much to his silent annoyance, she seemed to be taking far more time than he did. After an immensely long ten minutes, Pyrrha finallly opened the bathroom door, her lips curled in a gentle smile. As she sat down on the floor next to Jaune, he caught the light fragrance of lilacs.

He glanced at her, noticing the small amount of recently-applied makeup on her face and around her eyes. He had to tear his gaze away from her red v-neck t-shirt, and very short black shorts. Her long red hair remained in a ponytail, and the small emerald teardrops that hung from the chains of her ever-present bronze circlet brought out the dazzling green in her eyes.

Knowing that his mind was beginning to wander, he tried to prevent seeing his partner in the wrong light by pressing Pyrrha to start the video, "Well we've got alot of ground to cover, why don't we get started?"

Pyrrha frowned, disappointed that her attempt to catch Jaune's attention was, again, failing. "Keep in mind that I have not actually watched these videos. I kept them because I thought that watching myself fight could help me get better, but unfortunately never got around to it," she said and pressed a button on her scroll to begin the video.

An announcer's voice blared from the speakers, as he was practically screaming into his microphone, " _Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the 62nd annual Mistral Regional Tournament!_ _Many challengers_ _from all walks of life have_ _come_ _to claim the title,_ _but w_ _ho will be our_ _great_ _champion this year?_ _"_

The camera panned across the combat floor, presenting around fifty young Mistral fighters. Jaune gave Pyrrha a wide grin as she came into view, and noted her appearance. Her armor and weapons remained the same and her bright red hair remained in a ponytail, though it was only shoulder length rather than her current hip-length hair. He also noted that she was missing the bronze headpiece that she currently wears every passing moment of the day.

What is that thing exactly anyway? Some kind of crown? Is Pyrrha royalty?! Jaune could certainly see that being the case, though Weiss more closely fit the look and attitude you would expect from a princess. Which, of course, is why so many people liked to refer to her as 'Ice Queen.' At the same time, he couldn't help but have a crush on the heiress. She was beautiful, pristine, talented, the list goes on and on.

Pyrrha, though, is completely different. Ever since the start of his year at Beacon, Jaune slowly began to truly see Pyrrha the way she is. Not as a warrior or untouchable goddess of victory, but as a beautiful young woman who is kind, gentle, caring, and supportive beyond all reason. He knew that no matter what was going on, Pyrrha would _always_ have his back.

It was good to know that he could trust someone so implicitly. However, sometimes the things she would do or the looks she gave were confusing. It is as if she is expecting something from him, but at the same time wants nothing in return for the kindness she gives.

He didn't know what to make of it.

Maybe she is looking for something more? It would certainly explain why she felt the need to 'freshen' herself before their little session. If that is the case, then perhaps he should-

"And this is what you _wouldn't_ want to do, see how he let his shield pull behind as he swung?"

Jaune mentally slapped himself as Pyrrha started annotating one of the fights that had just begun, and focused his attention on the task at hand.

Pyrrha gave him all sorts of pointers and tips about fighting; basically anything that she thought he may need to know. Whenever Jaune asked a question, she answered as best she could, and incredibly he absorbed the information like a sponge.

Before long, he was even telling Pyrrha things that she didn't see while fighting. He quickly found people's strengths and weaknesses, and could even tell when they were holding back or giving it everything they had.

At the end of the first tournament Pyrrha faced another young woman who used extendable claws as her weapon. Immediately Jaune pointed out that Pyrrha held the upper hand because of her shield, granting much more range and defense than claws would allow.

"Yes, but she was extremely light on her feet. I took a long time for me to make any kind of contact whatsoever," she said. True to her word, the fight went on for a good five minutes before Pyrrha managed to bash the girl with her shield, turning the tide of the battle. After a few well placed strikes and slashes, the red-head claimed her first championship by forcing her opponent off of the platform.

"Good job," Jaune said, "It looks like you had lots of practice already, even at such a young age."

Pyrrha nodded, "I suppose you could call it practice. Think of it this way, most kids entertain themselves by playing videogames or running around outside making up games of their own, but my way of playing was actually fighting."

He pursed his lips as his head bobbed up and down. He had always dreamed of being the hero as a kid but, until recently, never actually took the steps to go down that path. He pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down a few notes about Pyrrha's fighting style; very acrobatic, precise, able to act in a moment's notice and take an advantage once it is presented. Stays calm in fights.

Not wanting to waste time, Jaune dove straight into the second tournament, and again the announcer sounded, _"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the 63rd annual Mistral Regional Tournament!_ _I am pleased to present our returning champion, here to defend the title!"_ The camera panned over to Pyrrha, who raised her sword to the roaring crowd.

 _"Yes, our champion has talent indeed, and has grown even stronger since last year, but there IS a contender! I give you the brother of the legendary Dragon of Mistral, Milo Aurelius!"_ The crowd erupted into a chorus of screams and cheers as the camera panned to a tall boy with black hair. He hoisted a staff tipped with a blade at either end, a weapon that Jaune hadn't yet seen before.

 _"Well he's no Dragon, but this young boy is the greatest bladestaff wielder this tournament has seen since its founding. THIS is the show you have been waiting for all these years!"_

Jaune held his questions, there would be time for random chit-chat about the past later. He continued to study the competition as the night drove on, keeping a close eye on both Pyrrha and this 'Milo' person.

They were both demigods.

Pyrrha had learned how to effectively use her semblance in the middle of fights, making her nearly untouchable. She won all of her preliminary matches without much of an effort.

Milo was ferocious. He usually waited for his opponent to attack first, then he would unleash on them a flurry of attacks that most people couldn't defend against. He could spin his double bladed staff at incredible speeds, helping him intimidate his opponents. To make matters even more stunning, Jaune could see the wide grin on his face. He wasn't just confident, he was enjoying himself!

By the time the tournament went into the finals, neither Pyrrha or Jaune realized exactly how much time had passed, and Jaune's belly let out a menacing growl. Pyrrha leaped to her feet and scrambled over to the clock on her dresser, which read 7:42. "Oh no! I'm so sorry Jaune I completely forgot about dinner!"

Jaune tried to calm her down a bit, and shrugged, "Well if you want to pause the video-"

She waved her hand and grabbed her scroll, "No, no, don't worry I'll go get us some food. You go ahead and keep taking notes." Before he could protest she ran out the door in a hurry, trying to get to the dining hall before it closed at 8:00.

The video continued with Pyrrha against a girl from the southern parts of Mistral, wielding a sword-gun with a dust cartridge embedded in the hilt. She was fast, and the sword could use the dust to deal out unique effects, such as a disc of fire that would swirl toward a target, or a lightning-infused stab. In the end, Pyrrha was able to subdue her because of superior defense and bladework, placing her in the championship fight.

The next fight was between Milo and a ninja that swung around a bladed chain. The ninja was fast, and had range and an abstract attack pattern that would make him a tough opponent, but Jaune knew that Milo was too fast and precise to let a weapon like that do any real damage.

And he was right; the fight started off with Milo deflecting or dodging the chain, then when he had an opening he would dash in and deal some damage to the ninja's aura. He didn't bother trying to knock his opponent off the platform, knowing that with a chain he could just get right back on without a problem. It came down to the ninja with 40% aura, and Milo with 86%. Milo moved in for the final blow, but something went completely wrong.

As he dashed in close to keep inside of the ninja's attacks, the ninja flicked his wrist out of reflex, making the chain wrap around Milo's staff. The ninja leaned backwards and yanked Milo's weapon from his hands, flipping Milo over his head. Before Milo could scramble to his feet, the ninja swiped his blade across the ground, shoving Milo off of the platform.

The crowd stood silent for several seconds before one random person cried out, then an uproar burst from them all at once. It was so loud in the stadium that the crowd nearly drowned out the announcer's own laughter and cheers.

Jaune couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, so he rewound the video to the part where Milo lost his weapon. He played it in slow-motion to see if his assumptions were correct.

Just as the ninja pulled on the weapon, Milo let go. It wasn't pulled from his hand, Milo _let go_ of his weapon. After that he pushed his own body weight forward to flip over the ninja and onto his back, giving his opponent the opportunity to push him off the platform. It was intentional, plain as day if you look in slow-motion.

Jaune couldn't make any sense of it whatsoever. Why in the world would someone throw their chance at winning a tournament like that? Why even enter if you planned to lose intentionally in the first place? He decided to ask Pyrrha about it when she returned, and continued the video.

The tournament moved on to the championship fight between Pyrrha and the ninja who had beaten Milo. The moment the battle began, the red-head switched her sword to a Javelin and threw it, firing the rifle to give it an extra kick in speed. The ninja deftly avoided the attack, causing the javelin to embed itself into the ground several feet behind him.

Before he could attack, Pyrrha charged forward and bashed her opponent to force him back, then rolled to her right and spun to throw her shield at his feet. The ninja jumped over the flying disc, but didn't realize that he had just made the biggest mistake of his young life.

The shield bounced off of the javelin that was still stuck in the ground and careened back the way it came, smacking the ninja hard in the back. He was flung forward, straight into Pyrrha's waiting kick that instantly knocked him unconscious.

In six seconds flat, Pyrrha had won the 63rd annual Mistral Regional Tournament.

Needless to say, the crowd exploded once again. _"_ _And there is your champion, folks! Pyrrha Nikos, with a stunningly quick fight to secure the victory!_ _Oh-ho! What do we have here?"_

Jaune's brow furrowed in confusion at what the announcer was talking about as the platform was lowered to the ground. He noticed Milo walking to the center of the stage with his back to the camera, holding a small box behind his back so Pyrrha couldn't see it.

He casually walked up to Pyrrha, then held the box out to her. She strapped her weapons to her back and hesitantly took the box. Her lips moved and she shook her head, then he gestured for her to open it. After a few moments, she peeled off the lid.

And suddenly everything made sense.

Milo threw his fight so he wouldn't have to fight Pyrrha.

She pulled a bronze circlet from the box, adorned with small emerald teardrops that hung from thin chains at either side of the headpiece. The same circlet that she _always_ wears everywhere she goes.

The red-head was stunned at the gift, and covered her gaping mouth as she gasped. She quickly put on the circlet, which fit perfectly, and bounced with excitement.

Then Pyrrha reached up to cup Milo's cheeks, and kissed him.

Jaune felt a knife plunge into his heart as the couple shared a passionate kiss, and held it for several seconds. He couldn't look away. He stared, and he realized something. This is _Pyrrha Nikos_. One of the greatest fighters of his time, and one of the nicest people he has ever met.

Even if he was able to be 'deep relationship' material, what real chance does he have? How long until someone better than him swoops in to steal her heart?

By the look of things he is already too late.

He re-affirmed in himself the fact that Pyrrha is his partner, his best friend. He will always be there for her just as she will be there for him, but pursuing her would almost certainly end in a broken relationship. Better to try and sway Weiss than endanger a cherished friendship.

Jaune shut off the projector and returned the data chip to Pyrrha's desk. Just as he slid the drawer shut, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren all piled into the room, each holding a container of food to eat in the dorm. He told Pyrrha that he was all done with the videos and had enough information to complete Ozpin's assignment.

They quickly set up dinner and Nora started to chatter the night away, when Pyrrha noticed that Jaune was acting rather passive, " Jaune, is something wrong?"

He gave her a gentle smile, "I'm fine, I'm just not as hungry as I thought."

* * *

 ** _For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest, nor is anything secret except to come to light._**

 **-Mark 4:22**


	5. Opening Up

The Fall Project

Part 1: From Ashes

Opening Up

* * *

A young Nova sat happily in a dense forest. He was waiting, for what he couldn't remember. The midday sun shined through the canopy, and he breathed in the smells of the summer forest. A girl's laughter made him jump up with a smile, excited that his friend had arrived.

As he looked around to find her, he noticed the leaves. They lifted from the ground and drifted upward into the high branches, as if nature was attempting to rewind time. He cocked his head to the side, confused, but was distracted when the girl laughed again. "Where are you?" he called into the wilderness.

"You can't catch me!" the girl teased from somewhere behind him. He spun around to see her, but only caught the rustling bushes as she escaped. He plowed through the thicket, but hesitated as the other side came into view.

An old house stood, the wood rotten and long lost to the ravages of time. "Come on," the girl beckoned from within. He frowned, but pressed on. Each step closer to the house darkened the sky until the day had passed, only stopping deep into the night.

Quietly, he searched the empty house, to no avail. Ice seized his heart when he heard a scream from above. The boy scrambled into action and ran up the stairs, but when he reached the top, time froze. The room was shrouded in black mist, the only thing visible was a grenade, floating toward him in a slow arc.

He could only stand, frozen in place as the device exploded.

Metal shrapnel dug deep, and pain shocked through his body. He clutched the left side of his face, and pulled his hand away, now coated with hot red blood that flowed from his wounds. The world lit up in burning flames, and the pain became too much to bear...

Nova snapped up from his dream and leaped from his bed, shaking uncontrollably as the intensity of his dream threw him into a panic. The dark room was lit by a flickering glow from his sheets, which had caught fire in his episode. He quickly killed the flames with a wave of his hand before further checking the room.

It was pitch black, and he was in his Beacon dorm room, along with Cade, Mike, and Gabe. The only sounds were his thundering heartbeat and ragged breaths. He saw Cade sit up from his bed, and squint in the darkness to see the disturbance.

Nova ignored the team leader and walked over to the dorm's bathroom. He closed the door behind him and turned on the light, clenching his teeth and balling his fists. He forced himself to breathe more slowly, trying to calm his furiously beating heart. He looked up into the mirror, seeing the dark circles that had formed under his eyes, showing his exhaustion and lack of sleep. He leaned against the sink and rubbed his eyes, whispering to himself, "This has got to stop."

Eventually his hands stopped shaking and his heart rate slowed, and he reminded himself to thank Glynda for forcing him to learn how to control his breathing. He turned the light back off before opening the door, and checked to make sure none of his teammates had woken up.

Sure enough, the twins were snoring, and Cade had fallen back to sleep. He glanced at the digital clock at his desk, and cursed under his breath. At 1:20 AM, it was far too early to stay awake for the rest of the morning, and after his little 'episode' there was no way he would be sleeping anytime soon.

Deciding it was best to wear himself down a bit, he shuffled through his drawers and quietly put on some training clothes and a chest harness for his swords. He strapped on his mask before silently leaving the room.

The walk to Beacon's training gym was a calm one, the cool air quickly becoming colder day by day as autumn approached. Nova breathed deep as he looked up at the sky, hoping to see the gleaming stars, but the twinkling lights were shrouded by dark clouds that overcast all of Vale. He enjoyed the night's clean and quiet air, free of the clouded noise of the city.

As he neared the gym, he felt a twinge at the back of his mind. He'd felt the pinch before, ever since one training session with Glynda around a month ago, he noticed that he started to be able to sense people's auras from a distance.

Focusing hard on his surroundings, he visualized the energy within the building. Inside was an overwhelming radiance, not much different from a star.

Nova considered turning back around and going to the Emerald Forest instead, but dismissed the idea. Ozpin would complain far more about that than him going to train at outrageous hours of the night. Hoping for the best, he opened the gym's double doors.

Instantly he caught the wild, now glowing, blonde hair that flowed over the young brawler's shoulders. Her hands were wrapped with white tape to help protect them while she mercilessly pounded away at a punching bag. Why, in the wide world of Remnant, would Yang Xiao Long be awake and pissed at 1:30 in the morning?

He made his way to a bench a dozen feet away from Yang, and unbuckled his chest harness. Making sure to announce his presence by letting his swords clatter as he set them on the floor, he sat back and watched the young huntress.

Much to his chagrin, her clothes barely managed to protect her modesty, wearing just a sports bra and shorts that were way too short. It was a standard for most girls that went to the training room, and while the distraction was welcome to some, he couldn't help but wonder what girls expected from all the guys. If you wear next to nothing, you are going to get looks from someone you don't want looking, end of story.

Then again, Yang most likely didn't expect anyone else to go training at this hour.

She looked like she'd been at it for hours, with sweat glistening off her skin and her breathing heavy. The blonde boxer had a near-perfect athletic build, with a well-toned abdomen and strong legs and shoulders. It took a significant amount of willpower to keep himself from imagining the alluring image in a different light.

Of course, the swordsman couldn't help but admire Yang's physical prowess. After all, it wasn't every day that you could find a woman with that kind of power behind her swing. With every thunderous hit, the sandbag threatened to break from it's chain. It was honestly quite impressive.

Yang reared back and roared, unleashing a devastating punch that tore the fabric, throwing sand all over the gym floor. She immediately whirled around, giving Nova a red-eyed glare, "Stop staring at me, this time you're just being creepy! What are you doing up so late, anyway?" she snapped.

He shook his head and waved his hands, dismissing her accusations, "Firstly, I am just a spectator. Second, I woke up and the only way I'm going to get back to sleep is to wear myself down a bit first, and you got here first. Third, I think we can both agree that we need to relieve some stress, and I owe you a fight," he said, and stood, "Lets have a spar, then we can talk."

She pursed her lips, considering his offer. The corners of her lips slowly curled into a crooked smile as her eyes returned to their normal color. "Alright, but I won't go easy," she sneered.

He nodded in agreement and took a few steps forward, smirking under his mask, "Good. I've been looking for a challenge, think you can make me work up a sweat?"

The brawler gave a mischievous grin, "Oh trust me, I'll be the best you've had in years."

Nova laughed, "You and your innuendos." The blonde gave him a wink, and they both dropped into their combat stances, sizing each other up.

He stood a full head taller than Yang and had a longer reach, which gave him a bit of an advantage, but Yang was possibly the strongest fighter in team RWBY. Unfortunately due to the lack of sleep and his own negligence, he never payed much attention to her fighting style before, putting him at a pretty significant disadvantage.

But of course, a challenge makes the fight far more enjoyable.

Just as they were about to start, Yang interrupted, "Wait-wait, I have one rule; Do _not_ touch my hair." she said, glaring daggers at the swordsman.

He shrugged, "Alright, I hadn't exactly planned on it."

"Yeah you better not- hey!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, "What, is my hair not good enough for you?!"

Nova ignored her antics and took a step forward, "Let's go."

They started pretty slow, testing each others moves before pressing the advance with a new combination. The swordsman enjoyed the spar, but couldn't help but feel that she was a little slow. While he couldn't land any strong hits, he was able to connect with some lighter jabs and kicks. Sometimes it even felt like she was _letting_ herself be hit. The blonde brawler suddenly unleashed a flurry of mixed martial arts moves that almost caught him off-guard, forcing him to step up his game.

More than half an hour in, Nova started to take the upper hand when he managed to dodge a right hook and landed a hard knee into her stomach, and followed up quickly with a crushing uppercut into her chin.

She flew back, but managed to regain her feet. He lunged forward to get in another punch before she could react, but to his astonishment, Yang caught his hand with an open palm. It was like punching a steel-reinforced concrete wall, end even then he could make _that_ give way. She looked up at him with red eyes and an evil grin, and her hair lit up in bright yellow flames.

Feeling the twinge in the back of his mind again, he could sense the massive ocean of energy bursting from her, strengthening her. He tried to dash backward, but she had an astonishingly strong grip, and held him in place while rearing back for a massive right-handed punch.

All he could do at that point was put up an arm to shield his face.

The colossal punch to the ribs sent him flying across the gym, wildly crashing through a stack of wooden tables. He dizzily emerged from the wreckage, panting and exhausted. Yang put up her hands, ready to go on even longer, but he just laughed painfully and shook his head, "You got me. I might have a few cracked ribs."

Her semblance faded, and her brow furrowed in concern, "Oh, really? Should we go to the doctor?"

"No, no. I'll just sleep it off." He stood, holding a hand to his damaged abdomen. "That is one hell of a semblance you've got," he said with a chuckle.

Yang nodded, "Yeah, it comes in handy sometimes." The duo sat next to each other at a bench, and she passed him a bottle of water and a white towel to soak up some of the sweat.

Nova slipped his mask just above his mouth and sipped from the bottle, then readjusted it before he spoke, "So, what are you in for?"

Yang stared at him with a blank expression, "I think it's about time _you_ started explaining things. You go first, then me."

Nova took a long, dejected sigh, "I don't think it's something you need to worry about."

She crossed her arms, "Well I don't think friends should keep secrets from each other. The more they know, the more they can help."

"I get that, but I don't want you to get entangled in my wide world of problems. You need to understand that so far, my life hasn't exactly been a happy story."

The blonde frowned, and looked down with a solemn expression, "In this day and age, a lot of people have sad stories. Sharing them can help with bearing the burden."

Nova didn't have anything to say against that, and paused for a few moments to collect his thoughts. "I'll tell you part of it. The rest might come later, but for now… I have amnesia. Anything before about two and a half years ago is a complete mystery to me. However, lately I have been getting dreams that are so real, the only logical explanation is that they are fragments of memory trying to come back."

He studied her, watching her expressions as he explained. She showed concern, but she also looked confused, like she didn't know how to respond. He continued, "That is why I woke up so early in the morning. I had…. A nightmare I guess? Similar to what happened with the tree a few weeks ago."

She took a moment to think before leaning closer to him, "Do you want to talk about the things in your dreams?" She looked to be waiting patiently for his answer, but internally she was begging for him to open up. It would be a monumental step for the swordsman, not to mention she could call it one of her crowning achievements to get someone like Nova to talk for once.

He started to fidget, clearly uncomfortable, "Well, I-I mean it's not the easiest thing to talk about. Most people from my past either show as shadows or I'm never able to directly see them, others are people that I've met since I woke up in Atlas. Tonight was a little different, though."

"Different how?" She asked, paying close attention to what he had to say.

"I was looking for someone, a girl. I never saw her, but instead found a house, an old run down thing that was basically empty. I get the feeling that it was my home. Anyway, inside there was a grenade that exploded in front of me and badly injured me. I think that is the cause for my scars, and it gives me a good explanation for why I need to wear a mask all the time."

Her brow furrowed, "I'm sure its not that bad, a lot of people see scars as experience. People might look up to you for it," she said, trying to reassure him, "Plus, lots of girls like scars," she shrugged with a teasing grin.

He burst out laughing, "No, its pretty bad. I might show you eventually but for now I'll just let you keep picturing Prince Charming."

She playfully punched his shoulder, "In your dreams, lover-boy."

He nudged back with an elbow, "Alright, your turn. I spilled my guts so this better be good."

"But there's so much more!" she huffed, "Come on, you can't say anything else?"

The swordsman grinned under his mask, "Maybe later, but right now it's your turn."

The blonde frowned, her eyes shifting away from his gaze, "Yeah, okay. Blake accidentally let some information from her past slip, and now she's run off. We looked for her all day but didn't manage to find her anywhere. I'm just really stressing about it, I guess."

Nova tapped his chin, "Do you know if she has any other friends outside of school?"

Yang shook her head, "I don't know. We checked half the city today, and we're going again tomorrow." He nodded and looked away, deep in thought. "Would you help us look for her?"

"I've got nothing better to do," he shrugged.

The blonde grinned, "Awesome, I'll come by your room tomorrow around four."

He gave a terse nod, "Okay. Good spar by the way, maybe we could train again sometime? We can show each other a few tricks if you'd like." They said their farewells and returned to their dorms, and for the first time in months, Nova had a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day was a slow one. Everyone on Team CMSN had decided to sleep in that Saturday for some much needed rest. Cadence got his team up before 10 a.m, and the twins left to aimlessly wander downtown Vale. Seemingly out of nowhere, Nova pulled out a black notebook and sat down cross-legged on his bed, with his back to the wall. Not long ago he had decided to take Blake's advice, and now scribbles in it almost every day.

Not so surprisingly, none of the team had ever seen where he hides it, however Cade did know that Nova didn't actually write in the notebook, but instead drew pictures. The only reason he knew that is because every once and a while he managed to catch a glimpse of a page or two out of the corner of his eye. Not enough to see what he was drawing, but enough to tell that it was more than just a sketch. Nova was pouring a lot of effort into those drawings.

Several hours passed, and Cade managed to completely clean and detail his armor, and still he scribbled away at the sketchbook. "You've been at that thing for half the day," he said.

Nova was very concentrated on his work, and only acknowledged his team leader with a simple nod. Cade frowned and glanced at the clock, "It's 3:45, and you didn't even eat lunch. Aren't you hungry?"

The swordsman looked up at Cade with a wide-eyed expression of surprise, "It's 3:45?" Moving with lightening speed, he picked up his mask off of his pillow and grabbed a towel and a pair of pants, then dashed into the bathroom.

Cade rolled his eyes. He could never understand his partner, no matter how hard he tried. Normally he takes a shower before anyone else, and is so quick that the team leader sometimes questions whether or not he actually is getting himself clean. Now that he thought about it, it's almost as if he simply _hates_ everything to do with water.

A few minutes later he heard a knock, and was pleasantly surprised to see RWBY's blonde brawler at the door. "Hello Yang, how can I help you?"

She rested a hand on her hip, "Hey Cade, I'm actually looking for Nova. Any idea where he is?"

"Yeah, he's in the shower." he said, nodding in the direction of the bathroom door. "Come on inside."

She took a few steps inside and glanced around the room for a few moments, "I thought you guys would be at least a little bit messy. Everything looks practically new."

The team leader shrugged, "I try not to let them get carried away. Originally I wanted to go to Atlas, so keeping a military-approved level of cleanliness sort of became a standard for me."

"What do you mean you wanted to go to Atlas?" Nova asked as he opened the bathroom door. He only wore a pair of loose black pants, and had put on his mask inside so Yang wouldn't see his scars.

Cade noticed a subtle tension in his voice, as if he were genuinely upset to learn that bit of information. "Well, my original plan was to go to Atlas, but I didn't manage to pass the entrance exam."

He simply nodded at his team leader, not wanting to push the topic. Yang noticed the black sketchbook on Nova's bed and picked it up. Before she could turn a single page, he snatched it from her hands, "That is for my eyes only." He turned his back to her and shoved the notebook under his bed.

As he turned away his exposed back was revealed to her. A deep, faded scar ran from just under one shoulderblade, up to his spine a few inches below the nape of his neck, then mirrored it's way down on the other side of his back. She had to cover her mouth to silence a gasp. She managed to put her thoughts together before he turned back around, "Okay, well we're gonna give you a minute to get ready."

Nova nodded as the she walked swiftly over to Cade and grabbed him by the ear and dragged him outside. "What the hell was that?!" she hissed.

Cade shrugged, "What, the sketchbook? He's been writing in that thing for weeks."

Her eyes rolled at his lack of observation, "No, those scars on his back."

The team leader blinked a few times, "We never asked."

"You never asked?" Yang huffed, "Those look like child abuse!"

Cade frowned and gave her a stern look, "If his parents were responsible, they already got what was coming to them."

She cringed at hearing that, knowing exactly what it felt like to lose family. "Oh."

The door squeaked as Nova left the dorm room, donning his full combat gear and black cloak. "We better get going," he said as he walked past them.

Yang's face turned red from the embarrassment of talking behind his back, and she stayed silent until they jumped on an airship ride to downtown Vale. "Okay, so we've already looked in most of the downtown area, all that's left are the more shady sides of the city."

He chuckled, "I'm sure we'll be fine."

* * *

"Aaaaand here we are!" Yang said, waving a hand at her black and yellow motorcycle, Bumblebee.

"Nice, I didn't know you had a license."

"Oh yeah, I could hardly wait! I spent a _huge_ amount of time saving up for this baby." After putting her helmet on, she swung a leg over the side and kicked up the stand, "Hop on. What are you waiting for, the Vytal Festival?"

Somehow, she always managed to make him chuckle. He sat on the rear section of the seat, respectfully giving her plenty of space. The blonde turned a key in the ignition and kicked the starter, the low rumble sending a chill up his spine.

Yang revved the engine, "You better hold on to something."

Nova glanced around, "Hold on to what?"

"You could hold on to me," she said, giving him a sly grin.

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you?" He was thrown off balance as the engine screamed, and Yang popped a huge wheelie.

Just before the metal beast threw him from the seat, he managed to wrap his arms around Yang's waist as they took off down the road. After a few seconds she yelled over the engine, "If you feel me up I'll break your arms!"

His heart thundered in his chest from the adrenaline rush, and a smile grew wide on his face. "Sounds tempting!" he yelled, making her laugh.

They made it to the center of town before long, and Yang slowed down enough for them to be able to hear each other over the engine. Nova had an idea of where to find RWBY's mysterious faunus, and suggested they search the libraries.

They spent the entire evening searching through every library they could find, and even came across some guy named Tucson, who Nova knew was a Fang supporter. Unfortunately, he refused any truth to his affiliation, so they didn't get any help from the man.

Nighttime had approached before they knew it, and they were walking down a sidewalk when a few questions sparked in Yang's mind, "How do you know so much about the White Fang? Were you a member or something?"

"No, you have to be a faunus for that, remember?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah but no one asked you, and Blake managed to keep it a secret for most of a semester, so it could be a possibility."

"Well considering I don't have any extra 'appendages' I'm going to say no, I am not a faunus."

The conversation took a more serious turn when Yang decided to ask about Atlas. "Why do you hate Atlas so much? I remember you saying that's where you're from, but beyond that you haven't said anything."

"Atlas isn't all it's cut out to be," he growled, "You should be glad they didn't have the chance to indoctrinate you."

She stepped closer, speaking in a hushed voice so no one else walking the night could hear them, "There's more to it than that, isn't there? Whenever Atlas is mentioned, you look like you want to go slaughter a pack of Beowolves."

The swordsman thought for a moment. The truth was, he did want to talk about it. Keeping all these secrets were taking a toll on him, and he was starting to slip. At the same time, he didn't want people to be endangered by his past. Especially not Yang, who had been nothing but a good friend since the first day.

Nova looked her in the eyes, her shimmering lilacs, and could see the absolute attention she was giving him. She actually cared. Not only did she want to know his problems, but she wanted to help him.

He knew he could trust her.

"We should sit down for this." He said, gesturing at a nearby bench.

They sat and made themselves comfortable, and Nova started his tale. "I'm sure you've heard of James Ironwood. Most people know him as a military General and as a Headmaster, but few know what he's really all about. Every General has his secrets, and every military has its projects."

Yang watched as his pulled off his left glove and rolled his sleeve back, revealing a series of numbers tattooed to the underside of his wrist. "They called mine 'The Fall Project.' I was a damn lab rat for the better part of a year, after that they started sending me on missions with a watchdog."

"What kind of missions?" She sat and listened patiently, knowing that this was not something he was going to say again anytime soon.

"Hit missions on dangerous criminals, mostly. A few messages sent in secret, a new Grimm they needed dead, one mission where I needed to capture a few psychos that honestly would've been better off dead. I was basically his personal assassin, and it didn't take long for me to get good at it."

Yang seemed horrified. The look she gave him felt like someone had plunged a dagger through his heart.

Hoping to reassure her, he continued to the part that didn't make him feel like a monster, "I hated that I was good at it. I hated that I only knew what I was told. I abandoned the last mission because he ordered me to go after a few people in the White Fang, one of them being Blake. I thought it was horrible that he was trying to off a kid, so I ran away. Luckily, I ran into a few people who got me into Beacon so I can make my own choices, and live my own life."

Yang felt terrible for the poor boy. Taking an amnesiac child and forcing him to kill your enemies? It was downright disgusting. She wanted to hug him and reassure him, but she didn't dare touch him. Nova wasn't exactly the kind of person to take that very well. "I'm sorry all of that happened to you."

"Don't be," he said, "You weren't the one who did it."

"Are you sure you're okay? Even after doing those… missions?"

Nova nodded, "I'm fine. My take on it is that I was just the tool. I was the weapon used in someone else's hands. That's how I rationalize it."

She held on to the crook of his arm, trying to show a bit of compassion without being intrusive. She felt his arm twitch at her touch, but he didn't pull away. "You don't have to do things alone anymore. Your friends will back you up one-hundred percent."

They both heard a loud boom that echoed through buildings. Nova scanned the area and saw a plume of smoke rising in the distance. "Knowing Blake, that's probably her." They sprinted for Yang's bike and rode off to help her partner.

* * *

Yang and Nova didn't arrive until long after the fight. The blonde immediately tackled her younger sister, spewing out concerns and patting her down to make sure nothing was missing, then thanked Nova for helping track Blake. The faunus girl gave him a distrustful glare, which he simply shrugged off.

After getting his permission, Yang told her teammates his past with Atlas, although she gave a much more kid-friendly and summarized version, only saying that he went after wanted criminals. Suddenly Weiss' jaw dropped, and she pointed a finger at Nova, " _You're_ Black Ice?!"

The entire group, including a monkey faunus named Sun, flipped their gaze between the two, wondering what in the world she was talking about. "I'm what?" The masked boy questioned.

Weiss waved her hands in exasperation, "Black Ice! The vigilante who's been taking down criminals in Atlas!"

"I guess that's me?" Nova laughed, "But that's a terrible name. Who in the world came up with that?"

The heiress sneered at him, and Yang's eyes went wide when she noticed the slightest tint of pink in the heiress' cheeks, "It was YOU! You came up with that name, didn't you!?"

Her blush deepened when her secret was discovered, and she placed her hands on her hips and gave them all an apathetic frown, "Perhaps."

Ruby snickered, "What did you have a crush on him or something?"

"What? N-no! T-the nerve of..." She gave up, biting her lip as her normally pale skin flushed deep red, and her stammering betrayed the bluff.

Yang burst out laughing, "You have a crush on Nova! And you didn't even know it was him!"

The heiress made a flustered attempt to defend herself, "No I don't! It doesn't mean anything!"

Nova didn't make a big deal of it, knowing that the heiress had no way of knowing who he was, "It's okay Weiss, everyone has something they look up to. Plus, it's not like you kept a poster on the bedroom ceiling back home or anything." Her bright blue eyes went wide, and she hid her face in shame.

"This is… the greatest day of my life!" Yang managed to say, cradling her stomach as she laughed so hard that tears began to stream down her face.

* * *

 _ **A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.**_

 _ **-Proverbs 18:24**_


	6. Leadership

**Hello everyone! For those of you who are returning, I moved a section of last chapter to this one in order to keep a consistent word-count. Sorry for the repetition :(**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Leadership

* * *

The end of the first semester at Beacon was nearing, and the school provided the teachers with a workday to catch up on grading. The students were given the day off to relax before a week of studying for the semester finals.

Team CMSN didn't have much to do for their day off. Cade was flipping through his notes while the twins fiddled with their videogames, and Nova kept trying to create mini-fireworks with his semblance.

Suddenly, Mike looked over his shoulder at Nova, "Are you and Yang dating?" Perplexed by the boy's question, everyone turned and looked at Nova, waiting for his answer.

The black-haired swordsman gave them all a bewildered look, "Uh… No? Where did you get that idea?"

Mike shrugged, "Well, you know..."

"She spends a lot of time with you," Gabe interjected, and watched Nova as his brother continued.

"You both get along extremely well-"

"-and most importantly-"

"You told her about your past," both of them said simultaneously.

Nova sneered at their attempts to psych him out, and shook his head, "Yang is a very good friend. I told her about my past because she asked, and I knew I could trust her. We aren't anything more than friends."

Gabe let out an exaggerated gasp, "Nova can make friends?! What else can you do?"

Nova chuckled and snapped his fingers, sending miniature sparks that harmlessly popped and fizzled around the boy that teased him. "I can play with fire."

In truth, Nova didn't have a very good reason to _not_ pursue her. He had considered it before, but every time he wanted to ask Yang on a date, it felt… off. Most people would say he was just nervous about asking her, but he knew it was something different. Whatever 'it' was, it had to be extremely important.

Cadence stood from his desk as he heard the hard knock of someone's fist against the door. He opened it to a middle-aged man wearing a blue and white uniform. "Can I help you?"

"I have a package for a Cadence Claret, is he available?" The man asked.

Cade raised an eyebrow, "I am Cadence. Who's the package from?"

The mailman tapped his datapad a few times, "From a Mr. Christopher Claret."

Cade blinked in surprise. Christopher was his father, but had been against the idea of him becoming a Huntsman. The last thing he expected was to receive a package from him. He thanked the man and signed for the package, then closed the door.

He sat down at his desk, placing the box down on the table. "Are you gonna open it, or what?" Gabe asked.

"Maybe," the team leader said and sat there for a few minutes, unsure of whether or not he wanted to open it. Cadence didn't leave with the best of terms with his father, who had wanted his boy to stay and help with the family business.

The problem was, if he saw another grapevine or heard another thing about wine, he was going to rip his own hair out. His dream was to be a Huntsman, not work for the family winery. Could there be a more dull job?

Still, family is family.

He tore open the package and pulled out an old wooden box. Centered on each side was an intricate carving of vines, loosely wrapped around a sword. He was intrigued by the design; a variation of his family label, which is normally a vine wrapped around a bunch of grapes.

He pulled on the lid of the box, but it didn't budge. On the front was an hourglass-shaped keyhole, but he had no key. He checked the package again, and resting at the bottom was a small envelope. Inside was a fairly wordy letter, and an antique looking skeleton key with the same symbol.

Altogether, this was very strange. Getting something like this from his father felt very… weird. He opened the letter, hoping for some answers.

 _Hello Cadence._

 _As you may know, your great-grandfather was an important soldier in the Great War. He was a superb leader, and countless foes fell to him in battle. After the war, he started the family winery in a hope that he could redeem himself by creating something, even after causing so much destruction._

 _But he never wanted to forget. Enclosed in this box, is the weapon he used throughout the War. Do you remember Grandpa asking me the question "How is Adeline?" or "Are you taking good care of Adeline?" Well, that was him asking if I was taking good care of the family heirloom._

 _Now, this may seem goofy to you, but there is a good reason for it. Unfortunately, the weapon was banned by the Council because of its hyper-effectiveness in battle. In other words, it was labeled as 'too deadly to be considered humane.'_

 _Because of this ban, all of them were destroyed, and the secrets to forging the ammunition were lost to all but a handful of people still living. And so, as my father passed it to me, I now entrust the safety of this family heirloom to you. Keep it safe, keep it clean, and keep it a closely-guarded secret._

 _I know this is something that may come as a surprise to you, but I wanted you to know that I am proud of you. Despite my efforts, and despite your disadvantage, you managed to be accepted to one of the most renown schools in all of Remnant. I know you wanted to make it into Atlas, but Beacon is just as good of an accomplishment._

 _Your mother would be proud too._

 _Love,_

 _Dad_

There is something about a Father's long lost approval that brought Cadence a sense of joy and pride that he hadn't felt in quite some time. He excitedly inserted the key into the lock and turned it carefully, making sure not to damage anything.

He thought it would be a dagger or collapsible sword, but instead he found an old revolver, held in place by foam lining. Engraved on the dark wooden grip was, again, the vine and sword. The metal was polished steel, with some type of transparent crystal detail that spiraled around the barrel.

Beneath the barrel were six bullets, also held in the foam lining. He picked one up to inspect it more closely, and noticed that the ballistic tip had the same transparent crystal that detailed the weapon. He put the bullet back and picked up the gun, immediately checking to see if it was loaded.

The weapon was clear, so he held it out, testing its weight. It was extremely well balanced, and felt heavy in his hands. After several seconds, the transparent crystals began to softly glow a light red. The glow slowly grew in intensity until the crystals shined bright, lighting up the room with a dark red afterglow.

"Where did you get _that_?!"

Cade jumped at the sound of Nova, team CMSN's stealthiest individual. "It's a family heirloom from my father. He wants me to take care of it."

The swordsman looked ecstatic, "Yes, but those are infusion crystals," he said, pointing at the glowing red detail, "They tap into your aura to strengthen the power of the weapon. They're among the most rare crystals on the planet."

"Well I can't use it, it's a family heirloom." Cade placed the gun back in it's case, then his eyes widened when he came to a realization, "And none of you can't use it either!"

His teammates grinned, and Mike spoke for them, "No worries, boss."

* * *

Pyrrha was nervous. She paced the team's dorm room, absentmindedly twirling her sword through her fingers. Ren and Nora gave each other worried glances, and tried to reassure their partner. "I'm sure he'll be fine, Pyrrha."

"Yeah, it's Professor Ozpin! If it were Glynda I would be worried too, but Ozpin is fine," the hyper hammer-wielder enthusiastically chipped.

Professor Ozpin had called Jaune into his office over an hour before, and the fearless leader of JNPR still hadn't returned. It was supposed to be a day off, but for whatever reason, the Beacon Headmaster sent for Jaune in the middle of lunch.

For the Mistrali champion, the implications were terrifying. Did the Headmaster catch wind of Jaune's falsified transcripts? Was it against the rules that she and him were training extra hours on the roof of the building? Or had something else happened that she couldn't think of?

The moment there was a knock, Pyrrha dashed for the door and flung it open wide, "Jau- Professor?"

Glynda Goodwitch raised an eyebrow at the red-head, then addressed all the remaining members of Team JNPR, "Professor Ozpin has requested you all to his office immediately. Be prepared for a full day of combat."

Pyrrha slowly turned and glared at Nora, who shrugged and mouthed 'sorry.' She looked back at the impatient teacher, giving her a nod, "We'll be there in a few minutes, Professor."

It didn't take long for them to get ready, and when they left the room Team RWBY joined them on the way. Strangely, they had received the same instructions from Goodwitch. Knowing that she, Jaune, and Cardin were the only ones who knew about his transcripts, this had to be something unrelated.

The group reached Beacon Tower, and saw Jaune, along with team CMSN, sitting together in the lobby. The leader of JNPR was incessantly tapping away at a datapad with an immense amount of focus, while the others chatted idly.

Pyrrha waved and gave the goofball a warm smile as his deep blue eyes flicked up at the two teams, and he returned the smile, "Hey guys, sorry about the short notice. Everything will be explained when we talk to Ozpin."

They all managed to pile into an elevator, and when they reached the top, Ozpin was waiting patiently.

"Hello everyone," he grinned as he addressed the group. "I hope you have all enjoyed the day so far, but due to a surge in Grimm activity, I have some extra credit for you all today." Ozpin sipped from his ever-present coffee mug, "Before any of you protest, this is mandatory. The purpose of this mission is to test a new strategy involving large groups or multiple teams of Huntsmen, all commanded by a skilled leader. Your objective today is to destroy every Grimm you come across in Forever Fall. You will move from the northern edge to the southern edge of the forest, clearing Grimm as you go."

He stood and picked up his cane, then gestured in Jaune's direction, "You all know Jaune. He will be in charge of this mission, and you will all obey his orders as an extension of my own. The floor is yours, Mr. Arc."

The young leader plugged his data chip into a slot on Ozpin's desk. A hologram of Forever Fall sprung to life, and Jaune took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He stole a glance at Pyrrha, who gave him an encouraging smile. She knew what this meant; Jaune was being trained by Ozpin to be a leader, and this is his first test.

"Okay. We each have an integral part in this, so pay close attention. Cade, Gabe, Ren, Blake, Pyrrha, and myself will hold a 'safe zone' perimeter as we clear our way through the forest. Everyone in this group is free to move around, but it's critically important that we make sure we're not overrun." The hologram displayed a small picture of each person in a loose ring formation, each with a shield symbol next to their portraits.

He pressed a few buttons for the next group, with a crossed-swords symbol used this time, and the portraits placed just outside of the ring. "Ruby, Yang, Nora, and Mike are our brawlers. You will go after any majors or alphas that could threaten our safe zone. You can fight all Grimm as they come, but your focus should be on the larger, more dangerous ones. Assist each other as needed and if you need to recover, move into the safe zone."

"That leaves Weiss and Nova." He pointed at the center of the 'safe zone', and a portrait of Weiss appeared with her Schnee snowflake symbol. "Weiss, you're our support. Your job is to use glyphs to aid everywhere you can, and to keep an eye out for anyone who needs your help. Everyone keep in mind that Weiss can't help everyone at once, so don't do anything too crazy."

"Nova is our wild-card. You can fight anywhere, but I would rather you keep a safe distance in case you lose control of your semblance. I think you can judge what Grimm should be your top priority on your own." Nova's portrait appeared outside the group, with the symbol of an open flame.

Ruby stared at the hologram with a worried expression, "You're splitting up the teams?"

Jaune shook his head, "No, only Weiss and Nova have jobs that might separate them. Everyone else can still work together in your respective teams, just remember your individual task and the group will be effective enough to take on just about anything." He scanned the group, some of them giving him surprised, jaw dropped stares. "Any other questions?" he asked.

Silence permeated the room. If anyone had a question, they were too stunned by Jaune's seemingly out-of-nowhere ability to come up with a strategy.

After revising the notes on his datapad, he continued, "Okay, we may have to adapt to the situation at some point, so if you aren't sure what to do, just call out your problem and we'll come up with something on the spot if we need to."

He scratched the back of his head, and struggled to say the next part. _Now_ he was uncomfortable. "I know we'll take care of each other, but accidents happen, and I want us to be prepared for the worst. I something goes wrong, we will all hold position and call in an emergency air evacuation to get us all out of there."

A series of metal clashes and turning gears sounded as Nora readied her hammer. She maliciously grinned at the fearless leader, "When do we start?"

* * *

Red leaves of Forever Fall drifted in the breeze, and the sweet smell of eternal autumn permeated the forest. The burning scream of a Bullhead's engines echoed through the trees, causing a mound of decaying foliage to shift.

The Deathstalker pulled itself from the hole it had burrowed into the ground, and shook the large chunks of dirt and clay from the scratches and deep scars in its tail and pincers. It looked up and watched the Bullhead fly off into the distance. The massive Grimm excitedly hissed and followed the craft, careful to go unnoticed.

It was time to go hunting.

* * *

The Bullhead hovered above a break in the trees, and the group looked down into a sea of snarling fur, claws, and gnashing teeth. There were hundreds of Grimm, and more arriving each moment they waited. Exchanging uneasy glances, the teams weren't sure of how to begin.

At least not until Nova stepped to the edge of the platform, and looked over his shoulder, "Let's have some fun." He drew his swords and dove off the Bullhead, cheering as he fell into the mass of creatures. Drawing from his semblance, he slammed into the ground with explosive force, pulverizing any Grimm unfortunate enough to be too close to the swordsman. Just after his landing he spun in a wide circle, creating a whirlwind of blazing flames that vaporized anything within thirty feet of him.

Following Nova's enthusiastic start, Jaune called for them all to jump, and the mission began.

The creatures of Grimm converged on them, but each person knew what they had to do, and held firm against the onslaught. Before long the tide fell to the wayside, allowing the group to start moving through the forest. For the most part the only Grimm that went after them were the most common; Beowolves, Creeps, and Ursai, along with the occasional Major Grimm or King Taijitu.

After an arduous hour of on-the-run fighting, the group was nearing the edge of the forest, but the Grimm were attacking with greater ferocity than ever before. Blake struggled to keep up with the attacks, and a stray slash of a Beowolf caught her by surprise. Several wolves lunged at her as she lost her balance, and she stumbled backwards, leaving a shadow-clone to absorb the attack.

But the Beowolves never struck the clone. They froze, and their ears perked up as they glanced to the left. They broke away from Blake and ran off, drool dripping from their teeth as they barked furiously. The faunas girl's brow furrowed in confusion as she glanced around, searching for the next target.

Nothing came her way.

She looked over at Ruby, who had been fighting an Ursa when it suddenly turned away from the young reaper and sprinted on all fours in the same direction as the Beowolves. "Hey, I'm not done killing you yet!" Ruby pouted as the Grimm ran off.

The entire group looked at each other, confused as the Grimm stopped attacking them. Jaune was completely stumped until he realized that _all_ of the Grimm were running straight at Nova.

The masked swordsman angrily hacked and slashed his way through the swelling tide of creatures, with every swing of his blade creating an arc of fire. For someone who was completely alone and outnumbered, he was incredibly good at holding his own.

But it didn't last. The prolonged use of his semblance was quickly wearing him down, making his fires grow colder, while his attacks became slower and less fluid. An Ursa roared to challenge him, and he lifted a hand to engulf the beast in flames.

Instead, his head erupted in immense pain as he overstepped the bounds of his dwindling semblance. The Ursa's claws slashed deep into his left arm, forcing the sword from his grip. Nova cursed through his teeth, then cleaved the Grimm's neck with his other blade. As it evaporated, he grit through the blinding pain and picked his sword back up, then fought with every living fiber of his being through the wall of fur and claws as he retreated toward the group.

Jaune called for everyone to assist, and they all converged on Nova's position. The teams plowed through the horde of bloodthirsty Grimm, and Nova knelt to the ground to catch his breath. His aura had run completely empty, and he was completely covered in scrapes and scratches; too many near-misses for him to count.

The pain was excruciating. Every pulse of his heart felt like needles in his brain, every noise a thunderous boom that split his eardrums. Someone was saying his name, but he hurt too much to think, much less fight.

Slowly, his senses returned, and he opened his eyes to see Cade tapping at his mask, "Are you okay? Your arm is pretty messed up."

The swordsman put a hand to his arm and winced at the tender sting. The cuts drew blood, but he still had full range of motion, so it wasn't serious. "I'm fine."

Cade nodded in agreement, then his eyes narrowed, "What happened?"

Nova shook his head, "I've never used my semblance for so long, I didn't realize I had a limit on how long I can use it." He took a breath to calm his furiously beating heart, "The pain was unbearable."

CMSN leader put a hand on his teammate's shoulder, "You're okay now, right?"

Another nod, "Just give me a few minutes and I'll be able to fight again. I'm gonna take it easy with my semblance though."

As the group finished off the majority of the massive amount of Grimm, Jaune stopped to consider exactly what happened to draw all of the creatures toward Nova. What was it Pyrrha said they were attracted to? Evil? Not evil… negativity. Anger, hatred, despair, fear, and the like.

Then that means Nova was giving off enough negativity to attract every Grimm in the entire area.

He didn't know how that was possible, but he did know that having a horde of bloodthirsty Grimm thrown into a frenzy would be extremely dangerous for them all. Jaune approached Nova, and put a hand on his shoulder. Knowing how straightforward the swordsman can be, he decided to get to the point, "Nova, I need you to control your emotions. I don't know what's going on in your head, but the negativity you are bringing is putting everyone in danger."

The boy's head snapped in Jaune's direction, and he stared for a few moments. "I see. Sorry."

As they were speaking, the Grimm had been reduced to only a few stragglers. Pyrrha chased a Beowolf through the brush, ensuring that it wouldn't live to kill anyone in the future. Shifting her blade to a javelin, she aimed with an extended arm, and sent it soaring.

The spear pierced through the creature's neck, then she yanked it back with her semblance. As the weapon flew toward her, it was smacked aside by a massive pincer that lunged from the foliage and snapped shut around her body, squeezing her arms tightly against her ribs.

Red eyes gleamed from the shadows, and the Deathstalker chattered in victory. Pyrrha breathed to call out for help, but the Grimm crushed the air from her lungs. Black crept into the edges of her vision, threatening to make her lose consciousness. What was left of her aura faded, and her ribs started to crack.

A sharp pain erupted in her right shoulder, and a hot stream of venom slowly spread through her veins. The Deathstalker dropped the young huntress, and retreated silently back into the forest. Its work was done.

Her mind went fuzzy, and she clutched at the fallen leaves that littered the ground, crawling toward the treeline. She needed to get to Jaune. Somehow, he would come up with something.

He had to.

She used the trunk of a tree to help lift her to her feet, and stumbled her way toward him.

Pyrrha fumbled through the brush, and everyone gasped as she fell, exhausted. The venom was working quickly, and her head bobbed as she faded in and out of consciousness. Nova sprung up and rushed to her aid before anyone else.

He turned her on her back and touched her swollen shoulder wound, then looked up at Jaune, "Deathstalker venom." Tears welled in the boy's eyes. He blamed himself, knowing that she was his responsibility. His partner. The boy fitfully called in an emergency evacuation, and was told they would be there in ten minutes.

 _Ten minutes._

He took Pyrrha's hand, and stayed with her. He prayed the airship would make it in time. The young huntress muttered incoherently as the poison started affecting her mind.

Nova cursed under his breath. He pushed Jaune out of the way, and looked up at Ruby, "Come here," he said sternly. The young reaper dragged her feet to him, quietly sobbing for her dying friend. "Hold out your hand, please," Nova said quietly, while removing his gloves.

She didn't understand, but obeyed. He rolled Ruby's sleeve back and wrapped his fingers around her small wrist. She could feel the tiny muscle spasms in his hand. Out of fear, anger, or some other unknown reason, Nova was trembling.

Pyrrha groaned as he covered her wound with his left hand, and his golden aura began to shine. "Everyone be very quiet, I need to focus." The blood vessels in the red-head's body began to glow from within, and ever so slowly the light retreated toward Nova's hand.

After several minutes, Nova's aura faded and he shuddered as he released both girls, "I used Ruby's bloodstream as a comparison to clean out Pyrrha's. She'll be okay." He stood and walked away as Pyrrha opened her eyes, receiving hugs from her closest companions. Nora practically tackled Nova, spewing out thanks at an incredible rate.

Jaune was in tears, "I'm so sorry Pyrrha, I-I should've been paying more attention… I'm sorry."

Still nearly exhausted, she reached out and pulled him into a hug, and managed to whisper in his ear, "It's okay, Jaune. Everything is fine now." They clung to each other, and Pyrrha cherished the contact. She squeezed him tighter, and buried her face in his chest. She never wanted to let go.

Jaune looked up at Nova along with the rest of the group, everyone giving him wide smiles. His back was turned, and he was staring into the distance. "There is no possible way I can thank you enough, Nova." He didn't respond or even acknowledge the compliment, and continued to stare into the trees.

Yang took a few steps toward him, "Nova? Are you alright?"

The swordsman stumbled, and held a hand out to grab onto something. His legs buckled, and he collapsed.

The blonde rushed over to him as he tried, in vain, to stand up again. He waved her away, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

She didn't buy it in the slightest, "No, you're not! What's going on?! Did you use too much of your semblance again?"

The swordsman looked up at Yang, "I... absorbed the poison." Yang stood dumbfounded for a few moments, then her eyes went wide with horror as the reality set in.

She could barely breathe. "Why?" she managed to ask, her voice a barely audible whisper.

He shrugged, "It's the only thing I knew I could do."

She opened her mouth to speak, but her breath was stolen away. It didn't feel real, like she was caught in some dream. Like she was caught in a nightmare.

"You should all probably go. I probably only have about a minute of sanity left."

This snapped Yang out of her daze, "N-no, none of that. We're not going anywhere, and you're not giving up on us," she demanded, earning a pained chuckle from him.

"Yes ma'am."

It didn't take long for the venom to take its toll. Nova cradled his left arm and started muttering to himself. He shivered as a gust of wind blew through the trees, sending the red leaves of Forever Fall soaring around them. The orange glow of the darkening horizon was a stunning sight that the dying boy watched in awe.

His gaze fell onto Pyrrha, and he stared at her for a long time. She didn't take any offense from it, knowing that Nova didn't exactly have much control at the moment. "Ni-Ni-" He growled at his own inability to speak, "Pyrrha?"

She took a few steps closer to him, "Yes, Nova?"

The swordsman's breathing became slow and weak, "Why did you name your weapon Milo?"

She hesitated. Nova had stuck his head into a guillotine for her, and he may not survive. She owed him the truth. Swallowing the pain of the past, she took a breath, "Milo was my childhood friend. We trained together ever since we were kids, mostly just for fun. I actually got quite good at using a simple kitchen pot," she chuckled, making Nova let out a choked laugh.

"We grew up and were both accepted at Sanctum. Because of our training we quickly became top of our class." She started to get choked up as she spoke, "If it weren't for him I never would have gotten to where I am now. Outside of my family, he was the first person I ever loved."

Nova stared at the ground, "Then it all went wrong," he said faintly.

Pyrrha nodded, "He died two and a half years ago in some kind of explosion."

The swordsman shook his head, and ran his hands through his hair, "Milo... Milo... Milo..." His hands were shaking as he tried desperately to hold on to his sanity, to stay alive. "I'm so sorry Pyrrha. I'm… sorry…." his head fell back, and he went limp, his sporadic breathing the only evidence that he was still living.

The bullhead screamed overhead moments later, and Yang hoisted the dying huntsman on her shoulders, refusing to accept help. Once everyone was on board, the dropship blasted for Beacon at full speed.

* * *

"Quickly! Get the anti-venom in him now!" the doctor ordered. A needle pierced the inside of Nova's elbow, and the curing agent flowed through his veins.

"Something's wrong with out instruments, they keep saying his body temperature is over 120 degrees."

"We'll fix it later. For now get some ice, he's burning up."

Yang watched through an operating window as more than half a dozen doctors all swarmed around the swordsman. He sat at a heartbeat monitor, which showed only a feint and slowing pulse. Yang cried out and slammed a fist into the thick glass, making a spiderweb of cracks spread across the surface.

"His heart rate is slowing, recommend a dose of adrenaline."

"Do it."

Another needle in his upper abdomen made Nova gasp, and his back arched as his muscles convulsed. The boy snapped awake, and found himself completely surrounded by doctors.

In an adrenaline-fueled rage, he shoved the closest doctor away from him hard, sending the man straight through the cracked operating window. Yang ducked just before the window shattered, and she watched as the other doctors dove on him, trying to keep their patient from injuring himself.

Golden fire erupted over his entire body, burning the hands of anyone that touched him. He fueled the heat even more, burning so hot that everyone in the room recoiled from the boy, and the ice they had placed around him almost instantly melted. The agonized screams were drowned out by the low roar of the billowing flames.

His overworked semblance burned his mind for the second time that day. Overwhelmed by the immense pain, he gripped his hair and screamed.

Knowing that this would only end in more disaster, Yang activated her semblance and dove into the room. She threw a swift punch to Nova's jaw that instantly knocked him unconscious.

* * *

Jaune sat at Ozpin's desk, clearly upset. The Headmaster had told him that he had done well, but the young leader disagreed. "Pyrrha was stung by a Deathstalker, and Nova is in a medically-induced coma. _Both_ of them almost died. How can you possibly say that's a job well done?"

The old man gave him a look of understanding, "What did everyone else do when Miss Nikos was injured?"

"Well I-we-" he stammered, "We were all in shock. Everyone just kind of stood there."

"And what did you do?"

Jaune blinked, "I… called in the Bullhead."

"Exactly. That is what makes you a great leader, Jaune. Even in the darkest of moments, you were able to keep control of the situation and make the right decisions. You did everything you could have done."

Jaune sighed. If that was what being a leader is about, then he didn't want to be apart of it.

* * *

" _ **Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."**_

 _ **-John 15:13**_


	7. Broken Wings

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Broken Wings

* * *

Ozpin sat at a desk with the head doctor of Beacon in a private conference room. It had been a full day since the mission in Forever Fall, and the Headmaster wanted to know if the swordsman would survive. After all, it wasn't every day someone took in a full dose of Deathstalker poison. "So, how is he doing?"

The green-eyed doctor crossed his arms, revealing that his hands were wrapped in bandages from the burns he had received from Nova. "Well, after he was knocked out we had to put him into a medically-induced coma, that way he doesn't freak out and almost kill someone again. As a nice little 'side bonus,' his aura started working in overdrive to clean out what the anti-venom could not. He should wake up in the next couple of days, but he needs to stay here for at least a week to make sure all that crap gets out of his bloodstream."

The Headmaster grunted, "He's not going to like that."

"Well he can deal with it!" The doctor exclaimed. "As for your instructions with his identity, don't worry. No one knows what he looks like."

Ozpin sighed in relief, "Thank you Bones, you have no idea how important his confidentiality is."

Bones waved away the thanks and laced his fingers together, "I think you would like to know, there is something very unusual about that boy."

"Well yes, I noticed that when I first met him."

"No, no, I mean he is _physically_ unusual. As I was giving him a routine checkup, I found a lump of flesh deep in his upper back, just below the shoulder blades. At first I thought it was cancerous, but after I did a scan I saw that it was actually a muscle. The entire upper portion of his back is littered with extra muscular structure." The long-winded doctor took a moment to sip from a glass of water before continuing. "I gave him the works, blood test, full body scan, DNA analysis, you get the picture."

Ozpin waved him on, "And? Is something wrong with him?"

"No," the doctor said, and gave Ozpin a toothy grin, "but it turns out he's a faunus."

The Headmaster raised his eyebrows in shock, "Really? What kind? What's his faunus trait?"

Bones' smile grew and he leaned closer to the headmaster, "I think he's an Avian."

Ozpin was completely taken aback. He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair, astonished by the revelation. However, he was still unsure, "That's impossible. They were all killed during the Great War."

The doctor nodded, and started to get excited, "I know! He could be the last living bird-faunus on Remnant!"

Ozpin shook his head, still doubtful, "But all of them are supposed to have wings. That's part of what made them all such great warriors."

Bones' smile faded, "Well, he was born with wings. Have you ever seen his back? There is a symmetrical scar that goes across his upper spinal column. The scan showed severed nerve-endings deep under his skin, and his spinal chord even splits into multiple different directions. He _had_ wings, but they were surgically removed. Judging by the age of the scar tissue, he was very young when it happened too. The real question is: why would someone want to cut them off?"

The Headmaster placed a finger on his chin, deep in thought, "I haven't the slightest idea."

The doctor jabbed a finger at the professor, "I'm not done, Oz. When Nova woke up, he self-immolated to get us all away from him. Ignoring the psychological problems behind that, I initially believed that his aura was protecting him from the heat, but the tests showed that it's a _physical_ trait that allows him to be completely immune to any form of burn!"

Ozpin gave him a look of bewilderment, "How is that even possible?"

"I have no clue! We could actually be looking at a new species of faunus; a faunus immune to fire! We could run some tests and maybe even develop a new-"

"Absolutely not," Ozpin interjected.

"But-"

"I said no!" Ozpin gave the doctor a stern glare, "He's been through enough of that."

"Alright, fine," the doctor pouted as the Beacon Headmaster turned and left.

* * *

Throughout the next few days, the school was in an uproar about the heroic actions of Nova. The stories didn't take long before they became heavily embellished, some even saying he wiped out an entire horde of Grimm all on his own. Some rumors even began to spread that he and Pyrrha were secretly lovers, but the idea was quickly dismissed because of how she always acted around Jaune.

Nonetheless, without even being conscious, Nova had become a celebrity.

Many students in the school were asking, 'Why did Nova save Pyrrha?' It was a legitimate question; the two had barely spoken to each other, and only seemed to know of each other by association. Nova was friends with Yang, who was friends with JNPR, and that was the extent of their relationship.

But while the rest of the student body was pondering the mystery, Pyrrha asked herself an entirely different question. Something that had plagued her mind ever since Nova asked about her fallen childhood friend, ' _Why did he apologize for Milo?'_

She supposed the poison was affecting his mind to a great extent, making the boy say things without reason. She _did_ know what that was like. At the same time, Nova looked like he was distraught while she told him Milo's fate.

But why?

JNPR was walking between classes when Jaune pulled her aside, "Are you doing okay, Pyrrha?" he questioned, giving her a concerned look. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, and took a breath to say yes.

But that couldn't be further from the truth. She released the breath with a dejected sigh, and her gaze fell down to the floor, "No, something is bothering me quite a bit, I'm afraid."

He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You can always talk to me."

She leaned into his touch, and put a hand on his. Inside, she was in turmoil. What was she supposed to do? She needed to ask Jaune about Nova, but didn't want him to think that she liked the mysterious swordsman. That would be a disaster!

The words hung in her mouth as she tried to explain, "I just… I don't want you to misunderstand."

The leader frowned, but nodded. He didn't press the issue, knowing that his partner would tell him what's wrong when she was good and ready.

If her suspicions were correct, there would be hell to pay. But first, there were several pieces that needed to fall into place. Yang knew him best, so she decided to question her about the mysterious boy's past.

The rest of the day was pretty standard, Grimm studies with Professor Port, the history with Mr…. Dr. Oobleck, then they had the rest of the day to themselves. Most of that 'free time' was spent at study in the library, where teams RWBY and JNPR shared a space together.

Pyrrha approached the Blonde Brawler and asked to speak with her in private, and they moved to a more secluded area of the library. "So, what's up?" Yang asked while throwing herself into a large bean-bag chair.

The redhead had already thought of what to say, "Do you mind if I ask you a few things about Nova?"

Yang frowned, but everyone knew about Pyrrha's total infatuation with Jaune, so she wasn't concerned. "Okay, shoot."

The Mistrali's heart beat faster, "Where is he from? What did he do before coming to Beacon?"

The blonde hesitated. Nova had trusted her judgment with his secret, and she wasn't about to betray that trust by saying something she shouldn't. "He's from Atlas. As for what he used to do, you'll have to ask him when he wakes up. He doesn't really like talking about his past."

"I see," the redhead said impassively. "You said he was from Atlas, did he work for the military?"

"I… uh..." Yang bit her lip, giving Pyrrha the answer she needed.

Yang was worried by the questions she was asking, so to put her at ease, Pyrrha explained. "I know that you are the one who made Nova comfortable here at Beacon, and I want to thank both of you. I am grateful for what he did for me, but I want to know why."

The brawler nodded somberly, "I think half the school does. We'll just have to ask when he wakes up." So Yang wasn't willing to tell everything, which is understandable.

Over the course of the next day, Pyrrha was hard at work at the Vale Communications Tower, speaking to the Mistral police forces with urgency. She demanded that they provide her with the information and evidence of Milo's case, and they willingly complied. For the first time, she dove into the files and studied them extensively.

It was infuriating. Out of the tiny bit of evidence that could be obtained from the incident, Atlas had confiscated the vast majority. Either way, she knew that if they kept so much information to themselves, they had to be hiding something. She had the information she needed. There was one last question that needed to be asked. The problem was, Jaune was the only one with the answer.

After training with her partner, Pyrrha asked to speak for a moment. "Of course, Pyrrha. How can I help?" the blonde boy asked.

The red-head breathed deeply, uncertain and filled with twisted emotions, "I need to ask you something about Nova." The young leader nodded for her to continue, "Why did you tell Nova to stay away from the rest of the group during the mission?"

Jaune thought for a moment, "Well he still hasn't learned to fully control his semblance, so I thought he could be a danger to the others. If things were to go wrong, he has enough power behind that semblance to turn a big chunk of Forever Fall into a pile of ash." Pyrrha's emerald eyes widened, and her face twisted into an expression of anger and grief, concerning her partner, "Did I say something wrong?"

The Mistrali turned away from Jaune, "What you just described is exactly what happened to Milo. His house and the entire surrounding forest was completely destroyed." She grimaced as the memory replayed in her mind, "The explosion threw me from my bed three miles away, and lit up the sky brighter than the sun. We tried to find them when everything cooled down, but Atlas soldiers were crawling all over the place. They told us there was an accident, and that Milo and his family were all gone."

She faced him and looked into his eyes, "I am almost certain that Nova killed Milo."

Jaune froze, shocked by Pyrrha's accusation. He took a breath to think things through, and dissuade his partner from doing anything crazy. "Wow. That is… That is difficult to connect, Pyrrha."

Her expression changed to one of grim resolve, and she stormed her way past him. Before she could run off, Jaune grabbed her arm, "Pyrrha, stop. You can't do that."

She whirled around, her long ponytail whipping Jaune across the face. "Why not?! Milo deserves justice!" she spat.

Jaune's brow furrowed with concern. This wasn't Pyrrha standing before him. This was a girl stricken with pain and grief, seeking some kind of vengeance for her still-broken heart.

He pulled her closer and grabbed her other hand, holding on tightly so she would wait and listen to what he had to say. "Pyrrha, you need to think about this. Most likely, Nova wasn't the one responsible-"

"I know it was him!" she shouted in his face, and angry tears welled in her eyes.

"Okay! Even _if_ it was him, he is sorry about what happened, and even risked his life to save you."

The red-head grit her teeth as anger seethed in her heart, "It's not about me, Jaune! Milo didn't deserve to die!" She pulled her hands away and covered her mouth in an attempt to silence her sobs, and the tears began to flow. "He didn't deserve it..." she whimpered.

Jaune reached out wrapped his arms around his partner, letting her cry into his shoulder. He stroked her hair and whispered reassurances in her ear, and the wet tears started to seep through his hoodie. Pyrrha clutched him and squeezed tightly, and continued to weep as more than two years of repressed emotions finally poured out.

He knew that it may not be pretty, but she needed this. He would be right here, someone she could confide in. Finally, she could heal, and move on.

Eventually the crying ceased, and Pyrrha calmed down. She stayed locked in his comforting embrace, but felt the need to apologize, "I'm sorry, Jaune. I didn't mean to get so emotional." She released his hoodie and pulled away, horribly embarrassed by her breakdown.

Jaune gave her an understanding smile and put his hands on her shoulders, "It's alright Pyrrha. You've been bottling those emotions for a long time haven't you?"

She nodded remorsefully, "A couple of years, yes."

"You can talk to me about anything, Pyrrha. Remember that," He said and tapped a finger on her nose, making her smile sheepishly.

She wiped her eyes, and laughed in spite of herself as she smeared her makeup all over her face, "I'm such a mess."

Jaune gestured toward the door, "Come on, then. Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

After five long days, _f_ _ive_ _days_ , Nova was still unresponsive. The doctors gave the boy an IV to supply him with the necessary nutrients, and assured everyone that he would recover.

But Yang was starting to get worried.

She walked through the white halls of the infirmary with a box of cookies in hand. She came to Nova's room, and froze when she placed a hand on the doorknob. Her stomach twisted into a nervous knot as her fears got the better of her.

What if she went in and he was dead? What if… She shook her head and pushed her way into the room, relaxing when she heard the steady beep of the heart monitor. He still wore his mask, even in a coma, but the rest of him was covered by a simple hospital gown and bed sheets. "Hey, Nova," she called, but again there was only the beep of the monitor.

Disappointed, she walked over to the edge of the hospital bed. Somewhere she couldn't remember, she had heard that people in a coma could still hear you talk. Whether or not it was true didn't matter, the idea gave her enough comfort.

She set the box of cookies next to his bed and sat down on the mattress, "I swiped some of Ruby's cookies for you. She won't really like that but I'll make it up to her."

Beep.

She hated the quiet room. It made her anxious and extremely uncomfortable. "Mike and Gabe got into a big argument today in combat class. Glynda had to hold them in the air upside down to make them finally stop trying to beat each other senseless," she rambled on with a chuckle.

Beep.

She grit her teeth and started to fidget, "Pyrrha wanted me to tell you that she says thanks. A-And Jaune too."

Beep.

Beep.

"Dammit Nova, wake up. Your friends miss you."

She opened her mouth to say more, but she was at the breaking point. Five days the swordsman sat motionless, and nothing she said could rouse him.

It was too depressing.

Feeling defeated, the blonde shifted to lift herself off the bed, but paused.

Yang had been friends with the mysterious swordsman for three months now, and she still hadn't seen his face. If he didn't wake up, they would eventually let him die, and she never would have been able to see. Yang knew the boy would be furious about it, but she had made up her mind.

She leaned toward him and placed her fingers on the smooth white mask, which felt cool to the touch. The eye slits still glowed a soft amber, a false indication of open eyes. A few flecks of dirt remained from the fight at Forever Fall, but for the most part it was well cleaned. Taking a deep breath, she curled her fingers around the strap at the back of his head, and slid it up through his jet-black hair. She lifted the mask, and let out a soft gasp when she saw his scars.

He hadn't lied, it was pretty bad. Even his left eye had been damaged, and was probably blind. She leaned further forward, her hair hanging around her shoulders, and lightly traced the deep scars across the left side of his face.

Imagining the pain that Nova must have felt when it happened made Yang's heart ache for the swordsman. Whoever was responsible for this was a disgusting excuse for a human being.

Then his eyes opened.

For a moment, her attention was ensnared by his piercing gaze. His left eye was milky white from blindness, but his right shined bright gold with an inner fire that spoke volumes of his true character.

He was a fighter. He was defiant. He was very, _very_ determined.

Yang then realized that she was only inches away, hovering above him well within what would be considered 'intimate space.' She sprung forward and hugged Nova, hiding her cherry-red blush from the boy, "Nova! You're awake!" He flinched at her touch like he always does, and made no move to hug her back.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

The blonde slowly pulled back, and shied away from him, "Please don't hate me."

A grin spread on Nova's face, and he chuckled, "Don't worry about it. It's time I showed you anyway." His smile faded, and he weakly cleared his throat, "Pretty bad, huh?"

Yang shook her head, "Actually, it makes you look even more intense than you normally do." He rolled his eyes and frowned while she gave a crooked grin, "Plus, it brings out your eyes. Trust me, keep that mask off and you'll have girls killing each other to get to you."

He burst out laughing, "Dammit, Yang."

Before a pause could lapse their conversation, Yang quickly switched to a new topic to avoid the awkward conversation of why she had gotten right up in his face. "So... how long have you been awake?" Her eyes widened when she realized that he just came out of a coma, "Oh my God, how do you feel? Are you hungry? Should I get the doctor?!"

Nova smirked, revealing his pearl white teeth, "Careful Yang, if you starting showing concern for me people are going to start saying things."

The blonde huffed, "Don't be an idiot! You almost died!"

His smile faded when his joke was ignored, "I did the only thing I knew would work."

"That's very noble of you, but why? Why would you risk everything for Pyrrha?" She glared at him, waiting for a legitimate answer.

His brow furrowed, "Because I won't sit and wait while a friend dies and I can do something about it. Anyone else would've done the same if they could."

Yang nodded, then sighed, "Okay. I guess I should go tell the others you're awake."

"Sure," Nova agreed, "Oh, can you tell Cade to bring me my notebook? And remind him not to look in it."

The blonde gave an exaggerated sigh, "Fiiiiine. I'll tell Cade to bring your notebook full of erotic drawings," she said with a wide grin and she dashed out of the room before Nova could protest.

Now that he was alone, Nova had some time to process what just happened.

He had been awake for about an hour, but wanted to enjoy the quiet for a bit before getting everyone all riled up. Yang's sunfire-aura illuminated his senses as she approached his room, and he decided to pretend that he was still in a coma to see what she would say to him. It wasn't all that surprising that she was uncomfortable being the only conscious person in the room, knowing her extroverted personality.

The aroma of her perfume filled his senses as she sat next to him, and he was surprised that she mustered up the courage to take his mask off. He didn't know what made him stay still, but for whatever reason, he let it happen. Her fingers felt warm on his cheek, and he had to fight with every fiber of his being to keep himself from moving. He lost the battle and opened his eyes, and his and Yang's gaze met.

The sight was what thousands of men would envy. Her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, hanging around Nova's head like golden falls. Her lilac eyes were filled with curiosity and wonder. Her left hand pressed against his chest, a welcome pressure that sped his beating heart. She seemed… entranced.

And even now, he could still feel her warm breath against his lips.

If either of the twins found out that they had been in that position, and he _didn't_ kiss her, they would have his head on a pike. But he couldn't do it. He _wanted_ to, but it felt wrong. Being drawn toward Yang gave him an agonizing, burning sensation in his heart.

He felt guilty.

He felt like he was cheating on someone.

* * *

Pyrrha stared at Nova's infirmary door. Jaune stood behind her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," she said confidently, "It's time for me to move forward." She turned the doorknob and pushed into the room to see all of the people involved with the Forever Fall mission piled inside Nova's hospital room.

Impatient from all the attention, Nova acknowledged them by nodding in the newcomers' direction and turned to Ozpin, "Everyone's here. What did you need to say?"

The Headmaster cleared his throat, silencing the room, "On behalf of Beacon, and the kingdom of Vale, I am honored to present to you, The Shining Beacon." He presented a medal in the shape of Beacon's symbol of crossed axes, and a blue and white ribbon. "This award is given to a student who goes above and beyond all expectations by risking certain death to save a fellow Huntsman or Huntress."

An irritated breath escaped the swordsman's lips. In Nova's eyes, the medal was no more important than a shiny sticker you receive from your preschool teacher for performing some mundane task. Out of respect, he accepted the medal and placed it on the bedside table. "Thanks," he said, with a subtle tone of distaste in his voice.

"We will hold a short ceremony to officially announce the award if you so desire," Ozpin continued.

Nova shook his head and waved a hand, "No, that's not necessary."

"Very well. I would also like you to know that Dr. Bones has discovered that you are, in fact, a faunus." Everyone exchanged astonished glances and shared their surprise with one another.

The Headmaster waited patiently for Nova's reaction, but he seemed completely unphased, "What are your thoughts, Nova?"

All eyes turned to him, and he growled at the attention, "I don't think it really changes anything. I look the same, I feel the same, so what difference does it make?" Ozpin nodded, understanding the boy's apathetic take on racial issues. "Out of curiosity, was the doctor able to figure out what kind of faunus I am?"

Ozpin nodded, "Both he and I believe that you are an exceptionally rare breed of faunus. You are an Avian."

"Oh wow, that makes perfect sense," Gabe said. Everyone gave him confused looks, unsure of how anything could be connected. "Think about it. Falling asleep in trees? Insanely good eyesight? When he teleports with Mike he says it feels like he's _flying?_ It makes perfect sense!"

While the others continued to come up with some of his behavioral quirks that could be identified as 'avian,' Yang noticed that Nova had reached over his shoulder and touched the scar on his back.

After a few moments of tracing the old cut, he lowered his arm and sighed, "Okay. Thank you, Headmaster. Can I get out of this place now?"

The old professor laughed, "I'm sorry Nova, but no. You need to stay in bed until the venom in your blood is completely cleaned out." The swordsman groaned in disappointment.

Pyrrha summoned the courage to walk forward, and stood at Nova's bedside. Before she could speak, Nova interjected, "You don't have to say anything."

Determined, she nodded her head, "Yes, I do." She needed to hear herself say the words. "Thank you Nova, for saving me. I am grateful for what you did, and if there is any way I can repay you, just tell me."

He studied her for a moment, then hummed as he thought to himself. "Just don't do anything crazy in the future. I might not be there to save you again," he said with a teasing tone. Pyrrha nodded and bit the inside of her cheek, still feeling some animosity toward the boy.

Soon after, everyone was dismissed from the infirmary so Nova could rest, and the day went by as normal as it could at Beacon Academy.

It didn't take long for the infirmary staff to kick Nova out. Despite everyone telling him otherwise, the swordsman practiced using his semblance for extended periods of time to increase his endurance on the battlefield. They tried to stop him by confiscating any and all Dust or ammunition he might get a hold of, but Nova, being the crafty and resourceful person he was, started pulling energy out of the electronics that littered the room.

After several thousands of lien worth of hospital equipment that needed replacing, they finally released Nova from the infirmary. He strode out of the building with a wide, mischievous grin plastered on his face.

* * *

 _ **Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.**_

 _ **-Matthew 5:4**_


	8. Legends

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Legends

* * *

"Hello ladies and gentlemen today we are going to the museum now let's go!" Dr. Oobleck rattled off instructions to the class and vanished down the hallway in a blur. Scrambling after him, they chased the hyper professor all the way to the courtyard, where an airship waited for them to depart.

It was a few weeks into the second semester, and the Beacon history teacher had decided that a field trip to the Vale museum would be a good way to shake things up. Many students groaned, unwilling to 'waste time' looking at abstract paintings and old pieces of technology.

Gabe was one such student, who found a banner displayed across the street, "Oh my God, guys. Change of plans! We _have_ to go to the renaissance fair!" he exclaimed, earning a laugh from the rest of his team.

"I think he's right, it could be fun!" Mike was quick to join his brother, as expected.

"You two belong in a renaissance fair," Nova quipped.

Cade noticed a team of girls off to the side that were whispering to each other and glancing in his direction. One of them was urged toward them, and he cleared his throat to gain his team's attention as the girl walked up to them.

She was short, and had shoulder-length green hair with streaks of blue in her bangs, along with cyan eyes. Clearly nervous, she reached up and tapped on Nova's shoulder, who had his back to her. The masked boy turned slowly, and had an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Is your name Nova?" she timidly asked.

"Uh… Yes?"

The girl giggled and turned back around, then melded back in with her team, who all began squealing among each other as they scurried away.

Utterly confused, Nova turned to Yang, "What just happened?" She just rolled her eyes and smirked, so he looked for an explanation with his teammates.

"Didn't you know?" Mike grinned, "You're famous now, you'll just have to get used to it."

"That is going to be annoying," the swordsman said distastefully.

They were spurred onward by Oobleck, and before long came to the large wooden doors of the museum. "Welcome to the Vale Museum of art and History!" Dr. Oobleck announced to the class with his arms wide, enthusiastic and even excited about the chance to teach so much to his mass of young pupils.

Few museums survived the culture-destruction of the Great War. The ones that did became the few major collections of history and art that people flocked to, to see and learn of Remnant's history. For Blake, it was a bit of a haven. Quiet, full of memory and symbolism, not to mention the dusty scent that reminded her of a library.

Most paintings were of humanity's battle against the Grimm. Massive murals of fighters holding the hordes of darkness at bay, the first time Dust was used, and the final stand of a great, hammer-wielding warrior against a fabled Leviathan sea-serpent Grimm.

One painting in particular caught the cat-faunus' eye, a massive work of a snarling Dragon in vicious battle with a Phoenix, wreathed in it's own flames. The land was burned and destroyed in the wake of their fight, depicting the two as hated enemies, determined to slaughter each other at any cost.

"Ah yes, everyone come quickly!" Dr. Oobleck waited impatiently for everyone to arrive, and continued with the fable. "'The Dragon and the Phoenix' by an artist unknown. As the legend goes, humanity's greatest threat, the Grimm, was only ever surpassed by that of the Dragon. It is said that in their darkest hour, the Phoenix defended humanity against this new threat, a greedy and evil being that threatened to destroy the entire world."

"That is not what my culture's history says," Ren interjected, "Where I come from, the Dragon was humanity's protector, and often brought our people good fortune. The Phoenix was the evil one, and is known as 'The Great Deceiver'."

"The painting doesn't take a side," Blake chimed in, "It only shows that they are enemies." Dr. Oobleck urged the students on and the crowd disbursed, leaving only Nova and Blake.

A long silence occurred between the two, neither one wanting speak their mind.

"I have to ask you something," the cat-faunus said in a hushed voice. Nova nodded, and continued to face the artwork. She calmed her nerves before continuing, "On the last raid I took part in with the Fang, we took something from a Schnee train. I want to know what it was."

Nova chuckled, "That's not much to go off of. What did it look like?"

Blake tried to recall the vague memory, "A large sphere with red wires all over it. Too heavy for us to carry on our own. It looked like some kind of explosive."

"Don't worry about it," Nova said a little too quickly. She knew he was hiding the truth, probably to keep her from losing her cool.

The raven-hared faunus gave the swordsman a demanding glare, "I need to know, Nova. If innocent people could be harmed then I need to know if I'm responsible, or if I can stop it before it happens."

He tuned to face her as she spoke, reading the sincerity through her facial expression. "As it happens, I know all about that train. That was where I was supposed to assassinate you and Adam." He didn't make any attempt to even try to sugarcoat or hide the truth.

Blake's amber eyes widened, "You were there, weren't you?"

He nodded slowly, "I was told to… never mind. The sphere you described is a large explosive designed as a last-resort against a massive Grimm invasion. They unimaginatively named it a 'Nova Bomb'." He paused and sighed, "I know what you're afraid of, and I'm not going to lie to you. In the wrong hands it could destroy half of Vale, but-"

"You knew it was on the train and you didn't stop us?" she hissed, her eyebrows furrowed in a furious glare.

"Are you saying you would've rather had me kill you? You weren't even the target!" he said and jabbed a finger in her chest, "They told me to kill you first to enrage Adam and get him to make more mistakes. I just decided not to pull the trigger."

"If you're saying I owe you then you have-"

"I didn't say you owe me anything," he growled, "I'm saying that _you_ , out of everyone else on Remnant, should understand. I was ordered to do something that I knew was wrong, so I left. Sound familiar?" Blake blinked and nodded slowly, then let Nova continue.

"Luckily, they thought you two might try to activate the weapon and steer it into a populated area, so they taught me how to permanently diffuse it. Furthermore, it needs a tremendous amount of power in order to function, so I'll be able to sense when it charges up. If it turns up nearby then we'll be able to respond to it much quicker than anyone would expect."

Blake sighed. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of innocent people's lives were at risk because of her ignorance and naivety. "Before you start blaming yourself, there is something you should know," Nova said, "I helped them develop the weapon, because I didn't realize the dangers. They modeled it after an accident I had in training, and I helped them, so it's my fault that the weapon even exists."

Blake grit her teeth. She couldn't really blame the boy, especially considering her own past, but she was upset nonetheless. "Thank you." She would have to stick close to nova, and pray the bomb is never used.

* * *

The echo of clashing metal rang out through Glynda's combat arena, nearly drowned out by the cheering crowd. Gabe used his saber to parry Mike's much larger sword, then countered with a slash at the boy's exposed neck. Mike teleported behind him before the blade landed, so Gabe activated his semblance.

The greatsword phased clean through his body and threw Mike off balance. Their blades met again, and the crowd cheered. Most people were awed by the twins' performance, but one pair of Huntsmen-in-training were not amused.

"And next is the upward slash," Nova said impassively.

The blade swished past Gabe's neck, missing by centimeters.

"… Now the Dust gauntlet," Cade stood with his arms crossed, disappointed with his teammates.

Powdered Dust sprayed from Gabriel's gauntlet, and with the snap of a finger the crystals sparked, creating a pocket of air that coursed with electricity for a few moments. Mike powered through the shock and dove forward, tackling his brother.

"And this time Mike finally lands a few elbows and wins." Nova finished as the fight continued exactly as he said it would. They had been choreographing their fights to look as theatric as possible in order to win the hearts of the crowd.

Soon after, the crowd died down and the twins returned to the stands. Glynda called for the next match, Jaune vs. Cade. Everyone groaned, both were know as lackluster fighters and often went on losing streaks. Both of them together would be a terrible fight to witness. As far as they knew, hardly anything would happen at all.

Then people got to thinking; who really was the worst fighter at Beacon? Many started taking bets, mostly in favor of Cade, but a handful of people knew about the training Jaune had been getting from Pyrrha. Either way, the two would be competing for the honorary position of 'second worst' at Beacon Academy.

Jaune wasn't sure how he would win. While Cade didn't have a very aggressive fighting style, his defense was off the charts. The thick armor he wore kept him from being thrown around by the other students and helped him hold his ground, even against heavy hitters like Cardin or Nora. That means he would have to act on his weaknesses, which would be mobility and the low damage he could deal.

As a rule of thumb, the sword was more dangerous than the shield, so staying on Cade's left should make it a bit easier to keep from being harmed. At the same time, the only way to deal damage is to get through that shield, so being on the sword-side and taking damage may have to be accepted for a win in the long run.

The two knights squared off with each other, each taking their battle-ready stances. Glynda called for the match to begin, but both of them remained still, waiting for the other to make the first move. After several seconds, a groan was heard from the stands, "Ugh. You guys have to do something at some point! Come on!"

Cade huffed in irritation, then took a few tentative steps forward, and charged. He raised his sword to slash at Jaune's shoulder, but shoved his shield forward in a hard bash to surprise him. The hit did catch Jaune off-guard, but the blonde quickly recovered and countered the slash with his shield, then dashed to Cade's right and cut his blade across his stomach.

The blow only took a sliver off of his aura because of the lack of power behind the strike, and Cade capitalized on Jaune's committed attack. He thrust forward with his shield and bashed Jaune in the ribs, and the blonde used the attack to push further to Cade's right. Jaune swung again and caught the crossguard of Cade's blade, forcing it from his grip.

Before his opponent could capitalize further, Cade grabbed Jaune by the throat and shoved upwards, then pulled to his left and slammed Jaune to the ground. Jaune rolled out of the way just before Cade stomped, leaving a heavy dent in the ground. Cade recovered his sword before Jaune could attack, and resumed his defense.

The fight continued that way; a slow, calculated fight of action and reaction, both fighters determined to win despite their comparatively clumsy performance. Before long, the crowd was no longer entertained.

"This is just… terrible," Weiss said, resting her head with the palm of her hand, "I think I'm going to fall asleep."

Ruby pouted, "I feel bad for them, maybe we could give them some tips later?"

"Cade is too stubborn to accept help," Blake added, "and I think Pyrrha would lose it if anyone other than her gave Jaune training." The others nodded in silent agreement, while Pyrrha tried to shrink and hide her growing blush.

The fight continued, and Cade landed far more hits than Jaune, but they both stayed at relatively the same aura level due to the blonde's massive amount of aura. Exhausted, both fighters could barely lift their shields. Cade spared a glance at their levels, and saw that Jaune had 16 percent, just barely above red, and he was at 18 percent. It was far too close, and he was completely exhausted.

He would have to time it perfectly.

Cade gathered his strength and took a few agonizing steps forward and opened his shield to swing at Jaune. Instantly seeing the opportunity, Jaune stabbed upward at Cade's neck as the red-armored knight's aura began to shimmer.

The steel tip of his blade struck Cade's aura hard, and a bright red light burst from the boy, momentarily blinding Jaune. Cade reared back and slammed Jaune with every bit of strength he had left, and threw the boy off his feet.

Immediately after, a horn blared, signaling the end of the match. Jaune blinked the stars from his vision and looked up, seeing an exhausted Cade towering over him, his aura glowing a deep crimson. Jaune glanced over the boy's shoulder to peek at the scoreboard, and his eyes went wide in astonishment.

While he had lost with 14 percent aura, just under the red, Cade's aura was currently displayed at _five_ _thousand_ percent. After just a few moments, the massive number drained all the way down to zero, leaving Cade's aura pool completely empty.

Jaune frowned, and his brow furrowed. Cadence's semblance allows for one massive boost to his shield for a few moments, but then loses his aura altogether. While he did win the game by tournament standards, he would've lost in the long run. Nonetheless, the victor extended a hand to help Jaune up, so he accepted. "Good fight, Jaune. You almost had me there."

He smiled, "Thanks, but I've had a lot of help from my partner."

The brown-haired boy frowned, "Yeah, I with I could say the same."

They both exited the training floor and took their place back in the stands while Glynda considered who would be in the last match of the day.

Pyrrha didn't notice that Nova had walked up and sat beside her during the match. "So what do you think of your prodigy?" he asked with a hint of teasing in his voice.

Pyrrha frowned. Nova looked down on them; people who were not blessed with combat talent. But she did know that Jaune could prove him wrong. "I believe he has untapped potential."

Nova's head tilted, "Perhaps. I think he would be a phenomenal strategist, but not so much as a fighter. It'll take him years to catch up."

"Then I'll protect him until he does," she growled.

He chuckled, "Relax, I'm just teasing."

Why is he even talking to her? Just to get on her nerves? She thought Nova was normally anti-social, so what is going on here?

Glynda cleared her throat to gain the attention of her students, "Fighting next will be Pyrrha Nikos." A few irritated groans were heard from the audience as the reigning champion stood, eager to distance herself from Nova.

"Do we have any volunteers for this session?" Glynda called as per her custom, though she knew that volunteers to fight Pyrrha were few and far in between.

"I'll give it a shot." Glynda glanced to her left and saw Nova's gloved hand raised in the air. Pyrrha grit her teeth in frustration, it seemed like the boy was intentionally trying to be a thorn in her side!

The professor's brow furrowed, "Are you certain? You only got out of the infirmary a few days ago, and you still haven't mastered your-"

"I'll be fine professor," Nova interrupted, and stood to move down into the arena.

Pyrrha knew she was in trouble. Especially now, when her emotions were running rampant because of what happened at Forever Fall. She willed emotions to the back of her mind, forcing her body to recognize that this was just another tournament for her to compete in. She lowered into her stance, shield up and blade at the ready, and studied her opponent.

He didn't waste any time, sliding his blades from their sheathes without so much as a flourish. "Let's make a bet," he joked, "I bet I can hit you before you can hit me, what do you say?" The redhead grit her teeth in annoyance as the masked boy toyed with her.

Some people in the audience glanced at each other in confusion. No one challenged the champion without bringing everything they had. To see someone not taking it seriously either meant that he wasn't going to even try, or it could mean that this was the real deal.

Uncertain, Yang leaned over to Cade for his opinion, "How good of a chance do you think he has?"

CMSN leader shrugged, "I'm not sure, but after seeing what he can do in Forever Fall, I think Pyrrha might have her work cut out for her."

A pit of anxiety grew in her stomach as the two fighters took their places in the arena. This fight wasn't like the others. This was a battle of two legends, and either one could be the victor.

Nova casually walked forward, but raised his weapons as he neared the champion. She shifted her feet, staying at an angle to avoid being flanked or caught by surprise. Just as he stepped within range, she flipped her grip on her sword and spun the weapon into a javelin, firing it while the swordsman was merely a few feet away.

Nova spun his blades and blocked the attack, but Pyrrha used the defense as an opportunity and swept to the side, and recovered her weapon with a pull of her semblance. She barely managed to raise her shield as a blindingly fast sweep of his blades was aimed for her head, then she countered with a slash down at his knees in an attempt to knock him down.

He dashed backwards, then leaped into the air, striking downward as he flipped over her. She ducked and heard the blade cut through empty air, then spun to cut Nova across the chest. He caught the blade without effort, then shoved her weapon away and kicked her shield hard to the right, making it clatter on the metal floor.

With both hands on her weapon, Pyrrha slashed downward with all her might to force Nova back. Instead, he caught the blow with a single strong blade, then swung for her belly. The Mistrali shoved the blocking sword back and swiped the attack aside, then went on pure defense as Nova's constant barrage of attacks with his dual blades started to overwhelm her.

He was vicious, and absolutely relentless. It was all she could do just to keep dodging and blocking his attacks, never getting the chance to make a counter. Knowing that she couldn't keep this up for long, she decided the only way to truly win would be to take away his advantage.

As he slashed down with both blades, she managed to sweep one aside and use used her semblance to rip the other from his grip. Nova immediately disengaged and slid back with a chuckle, "That was very sneaky, Nikki."

Her breath hitched as she heard the name, "Do _not_ call me that. Ever again."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said in mock guilt, "Did I touch a nerve, _Nikki_?" He regretted his tone once he spoke, sounding much more harsh than he intended. Nova shifted his stance, turning to the side and pointing his blade straight in her direction, holding his weapon like a rapier. Weiss raised an eyebrow and noted that while his stance wasn't flawless, he seemed to know what he was doing.

The two battled back and forth in a blur of motion, a precise and deadly dance of two masters of combat. Pyrrha quickly parried two stabs for her abdomen, then capitalized as his blade left him open by sweeping her leg low and following up with two slashes from the right. He jumped and blocked both, reading her attacks like an open book.

Quickly becoming agitated, she changed tactics again. She leaped up and toward him to stab from above, aiming for the inside of his shoulder. He smacked the attack aside with the flat of his blade and crouched low as Pyrrha landed, swinging hard.

A loud ring of steel echoed through the arena as the blades clashed, and Pyrrha staggered back. She felt a pinch below her left armpit, just between the ribs.

"Poke!" Nova laughed in victory.

The red-head dashed back and grit her teeth as she glanced at the aura levels on the scoreboard. He had only dealt one single percentage of damage, just to mess with her. He was good. _Very_ good. In fact, she hadn't had a challenge like this since… Him.

"Come on now, Pyrrha. I know you're better than that!" Nova taunted, "Give me a _real_ fight. You can do so much more, so why do you hold back?"

Her brow furrowed, "I'm not holding back."

"Oh, yes you are," Nova chuckled, "And you know it too. Go on, pick up your shield and lets get this fight started." The two warriors recovered their weapons before fighting once again, and she was considerably more formidable with her shield in hand, but Nova was still disappointed.

After deflecting several attacks from his blades, Pyrrha instantly noticed a familiar pattern. High left, low right, low right and left, then high right twice. It was the same pattern she and Milo had used against each other for years on end, with small variations to turn a fight one way or another.

But how would Nova know the same movements? It didn't make any sense. She refocused on the battle, pressing her attack to end the fight before she started seeing anything else.

Occasionally their blades would lock, and Nova would try to push her further, "You're good, but you've always had one problem."

"What are you talking about?" She hissed through her teeth, pushing against him as hard as she could.

"You think everyone is on the same team, so you treat them as a friend, and since when do you go all out on a friend?"

"You're not making any sense!"

Nova pressed harder, leaning in close, "You're afraid of hurting your friends, so you lose the drive to go above and beyond. But how will you ever protect that gullible idiot you call a leader if you don't fight at your full potential?"

"ENOUGH!" Pyrrha screamed, with renewed resolve. She threw forward a burst of magnetism that shoved the masked boy's swords back. She became a blur of motion, bringing out all of her most powerful combinations and strikes so quickly that Nova was forced to give it everything he had.

The audience was in awe with the two fighters, barely able to follow as they dashed around the arena at blazing speeds. Clashes of metal echoed through the arena, and bright sparks illuminated the stands as they watched in stunned silence.

Pyrrha jumped up feet first at Nova, and he raised his forearms to defend against the attack. She pushed off and into the air, transforming her sword into her rifle and hammering away at his exposed aura as she soared through the air. He recovered quickly and reared back, then heaved one of his swords up at the champion.

Pyrrha reached for her shield as the sword whirled in her direction, then deflected the blade back at him, using a wave of her semblance to give it an extra kick. Nova dodged the sword by mere centimeters, and the weapon embedded itself deep into the floor. Pyrrha switched her weapon to a javelin and landed, then charged her opponent with unbridled fury.

Nova, not willing to back down despite his disadvantage, pressed the attack. The two warriors furiously slashed at each other, completely unaware of their quickly draining aura levels and before long, the buzzer sounded to end the match.

Both parties dashed away from each other, drenched in sweat and breathing heavy from the exertion of the intense battle. "Now that," Nova said between ragged breaths, "was a real fight. Good work, Nikki."

Pyrrha furiously growled, "Stop calling me that, Milo!" The Mistrali froze, petrified. She couldn't believe the words that had just come from her own mouth.

Nova ignored it and simply looked up at the scoreboard. Pyrrha had won by a single percentage, retaining her 'champion' status. Soon, the Vytal festival would be here, and he promised himself there would be no more messing around.

A thought occurred to the redhead, "If you're not on our side, then who's side are you on?"

"I am on nobody's side but my own," the swordsman declared.

The two fighters parted without another word, and joined with their respective teams. Cade nudged Nova, a question in the forefront of his mind, "Why are you antagonizing Pyrrha? Over the past couple weeks you two have been through plenty. There's no need for all that."

Nova thought for several moments before speaking, "I just knew she could do better, and for some reason I'm afraid that she'll lose her edge." He didn't know why, but he was terrified that she might die, and wanted her to be prepared to give it her all. Just like at Forever Fall, he was so scared that his hands were trembling. But he barely knew the Mistrali champion, so why does he care so much?

Meanwhile, Jaune was trying to comfort his shaken partner. "Are you alright, Pyrrha?"

She shook her head and grabbed his arm, immediately dragging him out of the class. She needed to be away from Nova, to relax for a moment and get her bearings. Jaune was always a good help with that sort of thing.

He did ask why she hated the nickname 'Nikki' so much, so she explained that it was given to her by Milo, and ever since it was painful to hear it from anyone else.

It had to be mere coincidence that both Milo and Nova called her Nikki. She had always hated the nickname, so when she protested, the name Milo was the one that naturally escaped her lips. While she had been healing well because of Jaune, how was she supposed to do so if the memory kept being thrust in her face like this?

Jaune was there for her though, and Pyrrha could feel the heartache slipping away, replaced by excitement and love.

She was so close she could almost taste it. The Beacon dance was coming soon, and maybe, just maybe, she could feel whole again.

* * *

 _ **Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.**_

 _ **\- Proverbs 10:12**_

* * *

 **PS; The part where the girl asks Nova his name is a legitimate life experience of mine. I was so confused that I didn't know how to react! :P**


	9. Dancing in the Dark

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Dancing in the Dark

* * *

For Yang, school had been increasingly more dull the past few weeks. With the whole trouble with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang, and after punching an Atlesian Paladin into oblivion, everything else just seemed to fall to the wayside.

The one thing to look forward to was the Beacon Dance. Team CFVY was supposed to be in charge of organizing the event but they were stuck in their last mission, so the task fell to Team RWBY. Yang thew her focus into decorations and such, a welcoming distraction from school.

Occasionally she would watch as a group of starry-eyed girls would swarm Nova in a hope that he would ask one of them to the dance. He politely declined them all no matter what they tried, and for one particularly large group, he decided to give them a show.

With a snap of his finger a small flame lit, suspended above his palm. He took a deep breath and blew into the flame, spewing out hundreds of fiery leaves that danced through the air around them. The group was awed by the work of his semblance, and one girl reached for one as it came close, but shied away as it grew and changed into something different. A fiery bird flapped its wings to remain in the air, then flew around in circles above them.

Many of the leaves combined, forming an entire flock of blazing winged creatures that encircled the awestruck group of young huntresses. One of the birds spun rapidly through the air, then approached Yang. She raised an eyebrow at Nova, who remained intently focused on controlling the flock.

The bird stayed in front of her so she reached out to it, and was surprised when it landed on her finger and cocked its head to the side. Somehow, Nova's fire didn't burn her, and felt like warm water over her hand. The bird spread it's wings wide, and the flames bloomed as the bird lost its form, turning into a ball of flame in her palm.

The shape shifted again, stopping in the form of a heart that burned with bright golden fire. _Her_ symbol. She looked back up at Nova, who was staring directly at her. Before she could act on anything, he lifted his hands, making the flock speed into the sky and fizzle out.

When she looked down into her palm, she found it empty, but could still feel the warmth. Nova moved past the crowd of disappointed huntresses and continued on his way as if nothing had occurred. Yang couldn't help but smile, knowing that she had the best chance out of all of them. Unfortunately, time was running out as the day of the dance approached rapidly.

She missed her chance.

The morning before the Beacon dance, Nova left on a mission assigned to him by Professor Ozpin. He had been tasked to help Team CFVY get out of the hellhole they had dug themselves into, but he had to follow a few rules.

Ozpin decided this would be the perfect test for Nova's progress in controlling his semblance, so he instructed the boy to leave his swords behind. His only resource would be his semblance, and if he didn't require backup, then he would pass his 'final exam.'

Yang managed to chase him down just before he boarded the Bullhead, and she was clearly upset, "Why didn't you tell me you weren't going to the dance?! You could've at least let me know instead of leaving me in the dark!"

He didn't expect her upset reaction, but tried to explain anyway, "Yang, I appreciate it, but do you really think someone like me," he said, pointing at his mask, "would belong at a dance?"

Yang pursed her lips, "Fine. Go do what you want." She whirled around and stomped away, frustrated that he never even considered the dance an option. Never considered _her_ an option.

He sighed, then handed his swords over to Cade to take care of. The Bullhead lifted off the ground and sped to the north, disappearing over the snowy mountain peaks.

* * *

Cadence strode through the ballroom, and saw every dancing couple as a slap to the face because of his own 'single' status. He did ask a handful of potential dates as the day came closer, but was declined every time.

The twins pushed him into going anyway, and told him to try and find a willing dance partner, or to just enjoy the night as he may with the twins. Unfortunately, within the first ten minutes, the brothers separated with dates of their own, leaving Cade alone once again. So now he sauntered his way around the ballroom, hopelessly searching for someone to spend the lonely night with.

Not long after he began searching he found _her._

She was a tiny girl, easily the smallest person at the dance. Her brown hair was long and straightened, pulled back by a pink headband adorned with a pink rose just above her left ear. Her modest dress was pure white with light pink ribbons around the waist and short-sleeved cuffs.

Her arms were crossed and her brow was furrowed, and her bottom lip was stuck in a pout. In his eyes, she was the walking definition of adorable.

He downed the last of his punch and took a quick breath to get his nerves in order, then walked coolly over to the girl. "Hello," he said with a smile, trying to act cheerful.

What he received was a huff from the young woman, followed by a backhanded wave to tell him off. He let out a quick sigh, "Not even going to give me a chance, huh?"

She gave him a sideways glance, showing her light pink eyes, and shrugged. Moving forward, Cade tried to get her to loosen up, "I take it you were strong-armed into coming to the dance tonight?" Her head bobbed up and down in the affirmative, and she pouted again. "Well if it makes any difference, you are far too pretty to be here alone." The young woman blushed and stuck her tongue out at Cade, then stubbornly turned her head away from him.

Persistent as always, he gave it one last effort, "You know, I wasn't really looking forward to being here either," he said, and she raised an eyebrow as he continued, "but just because we're somewhere we don't want to be doesn't mean we can't enjoy it." He offered his hand, "All you have to do is take a chance."

The girl stared at him for a few moments, then broke into a fit of high-pitched giggles. Just as he was about to turn away, defeated, she took his hand and pulled him quickly to the dance floor, a sly grin at the corners of her lips. Her eyebrow raised expectantly, waiting for him to make the first move.

The song was slow, so he took a formal approach by giving a polite bow, and she responded with a curtsy. He took one of her hands in his, and put his other on her waist. They took a carefree attitude, comically mimicking old classical dances as they waltzed across the ballroom floor.

He noted that she didn't talk much, resorting mostly to animated facial expressions along with her small giggles and laughs. Before long the music changed to something a bit more lively, and the unusual pair started laughing at each others' awful dance moves.

They stayed together throughout the night, having a surprisingly good time with just a random stranger.

* * *

Yang wasn't having a good day.

Far too many teenage boys had tried hitting on her that evening, and not a single one of them caught her attention. They were all open books to her. No dirty secrets to uncover, no broken past for her to put back together, no real challenge.

Fed up with all the ridiculousness, she stomped her way to a secluded corner to be alone for a bit. She crossed her arms, leaning against the wall to take her time thinking of what to do with the night.

"Looking for someone?" She looked up to see a tall, green-haired boy that looked old enough to be a senior at one of the other combat schools.

Yang didn't feel like talking to another stupid kid, so she lashed at him with venom laced in her voice, "What gave you that idea?"

He pursed his lips, "You're wearing a look I'm all too familiar with."

"What do you mean?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Well, you look like a lost puppy, and by that I mean you look like you miss someone," he said, reading her like an open book.

"Yeah," she sighed, "the guy I wanted to come to the dance with isn't the most… social person."

He chuckled and nodded, "I know what that's like."

Yang shook her head, wanting to get to the point, "Can I help you in some way?"

The boy shrugged, "Hopefully. I'm looking for my fiance. A few months ago she went missing, and I've been looking for her."

She raised an eyebrow, "Did she run away?"

"No no, we barely ever argued, and she wouldn't just vanish without saying something, not unless it was critically important. Someone tipped me saying that you like to make a lot of friends, so I was hoping you met her somewhere."

"Okay," Yang said, unfolding her crossed arms. "I meet a lot of people, what did she look like?" She didn't mean to sound like a shady information dealer, that's just the way the words came out.

The boy thought for a moment to come up with a fitting description, then released a breath he was holding, "Her name is Amber. She's around average height and fairly tan skinned with brown eyes and hair that she keeps shoulder length, and just under her left eye is a beauty mark. She has a decent sense of humor, but she's more of an intellectual, always reading or studying something. She's always been kind and caring, ready to help anyone in need she comes across. She graduated from Beacon last year, and we've been dating since day one, but a few months ago..." He trailed off and sighed. "She went for a horse ride and never came back."

Yang sympathized with him, losing someone special can be extremely hard to deal with, but she didn't have good news for him, "Sorry, but I haven't seen anyone like that."

"Yeah, I figured," He sighed again, "In this day and age, who knows where she could be. I'm starting to think I should just accept the worst and move on."

"Don't be too quick to give up, you never know if she'll turn up," Yang said, not just trying to reassure him, but herself as well.

He smiled and nodded, "Thanks. So what's your guy like?"

She gave him a deadly glare, but decided to talk. After all, the chance of seeing this person again was slim to none, "He's… complicated."

"Complicated?" he questioned, then sat and listened patiently.

"He's been through a lot of terrible things, through no fault of his own. It's almost like the whole world is turning against him, but he hasn't done anything wrong," she explained. "Because of all that, he wears a mask and keeps to himself, not to mention that if you were to meet him he would probably come off as intense and socially awkward… But if you dig deep enough to get past all that, he is a good person. It just takes a bit of effort to uncover."

"Sounds high maintenance," he said with a smirk.

She burst out laughing, "Yeah, you hit the nail on the head right there. That's not all though, he'll do anything for his friends, but in a different way than you'd expect. He'll dig into the grit, and get his hands bloody to do what he believes he's right. On top of all that, he's probably the best fighter I've ever seen."

The young man nodded, then questioned further, "Have you ever seen his face?"

The Brawler bit her lip, a tint of red in her cheeks, "Yeah, but I'm not sure he actually wanted me to see. He made it sound more like an obligation..." she sighed, "I don't know, it just feels like every time he gets close to showing a deep emotion, he just backs off, even when I _really_ push it. And trust me, I can push it. He never takes the next step, and I can't figure out what to do about it."

The boy thought about it for a moment, "Has he ever talked about how he feels about you?" She shook her head, so he tried to reassure her, "The mind of a man is very straightforward. Just tell him how you feel, and hopefully he feels the same." He glanced up as the midnight bells rang, and turned back to Yang. "I better get going. It was nice talking with you, and I hope everything goes well with your mysterious friend."

Yang gave a weak smile as the boy walked off, "Thanks, good luck finding your girl."

* * *

It didn't take long before Cade and his date were both in near-perfect sync with each other as they danced into the night. Her movements were fluid and graceful, and she showed a remarkable amount of coordination and balance. Raising his arm, Cade twirled the girl around and caught her with his outstretched hand, then pulled her back in as their movements flowed with the tempo of the song.

For a moment, the rest of the ballroom faded away, and each one entirely focused on the other as the music built into a crescendo. In the final notes of the song, she twisted and fell backwards, trusting Cade to catch her, and their eyes met.

His heart was pounding from the excitement and exertion of their dance, and he gave her a smile as he stood them up straight again, "See? I told you it could be fun." The girl excitedly bounced up and down, clapping her hands together in elation, "By the way, my name is Cadence Claret."

The pink-eyed girl bit her lip, then grabbed him by the tie and yanked him down to her level. He was caught completely by surprise when she pressed her lips against his, and for a fleeting moment, his mind went blank.

He snapped back into reality when he felt her hand reach into his front pocket. He pulled away immediately, with a look of astonished bewilderment as she snickered and teasingly waved his Scroll in his face. She tapped away on the device with masterful speed, then handed it back to him with a sly grin.

He looked down with a raised eyebrow to see what she had changed, and shining across the top of the screen were two words: _New contact._

He looked back up to ask her why she gave him her number, but she completely vanished.

Meanwhile, she watched her new boy-toy from a distance as he walked away with a smile, recollecting the night's events. She wore a new disguise; green eyes and short black hair along with a glittering black dress, making sure that he wouldn't know it was her. He was right, she did have fun, and would certainly like to have more fun with someone of his... disposition.

"Hey Neo." She frowned and turned around to look at Emerald, who gave her a distasteful glare, "Stay focused." Neo stuck her tongue out at the green-haired woman, who was undoubtedly jealous that she didn't have the capacity to attract such attention.

At least now she had someone to entertain her until the Vytal festival comes around.

* * *

The next day, Jaune noticed a change in Pyrrha. A glance in his direction from time to time, the subtle curl at the edges of her lips throughout the day, and the way she seemed to lean into him whenever they sat next to each other.

She had an air about her that seemed… happier than usual, as if suddenly the weight of the world had lifted from her shoulders. While he wasn't certain why she seemed so joyful, he was certainly happy for her.

It wasn't until deep into the evening that Team CFVY returned with Nova. Everyone knew about the team's predicament, and many came to see if they made it back safely when they heard the Bullhead was inbound. There was a tumult of voices on the landing pad as people chatted about their upcoming missions, but all went silent when someone called out that they could see the dropship.

Black smoke billowed from the engines, and everyone stared in anticipation as the craft slowly made its way to them. As it slowed to a hover at the edge of the platform, the engines sputtered and died, making the Bullhead slam onto the metal deck.

Large claw marks and burns littered the armor of the ship, and ice-blue coolant leaked from the engines. The cockpit glass was cracked in several places, and the pilot inside could be seen rapidly flipping switches and turning dials to deactivate the dropship.

The bay door opened manually by a hard shove from Yatsuhashi, who had a few bloody cuts on his arms and a gash across his chest. He immediately ducked his head back inside in order to help the others, and one by one, Team CFVY exited the vehicle.

Fox's left arm was in a makeshift splint, and he had to help Velvet off the Bullhead because of an injured leg. Next was Professor Port, who was supposed to be watching Nova to see if the boy passed his 'test.' The teacher walked with a limp, and his arm hung dead at his side because of a dislocated shoulder. He kept his cheerful attitude however, in order to ease the tension in the crowd.

Coco was by far the worst. Dried blood was caked to the side of her head, and Yatsu had to help her stand as she cautiously stepped from the Bullhead, bracing herself with a hand on the side of the machine. She shielded her eyes from sensitivity to light because of a bad concussion, and when she stumbled, Yatsu gently picked her up bridal-style to keep her from falling. Normally she would protest this action with unkempt fury, but this time she just closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest, exhausted and in pain.

A medical team was standing by with a stretcher on hand, so Yatsu placed the team leader down and let the medics take care of her. Before they moved off, Fox waved Cade over to him, and spoke quietly, "You've got one hell of a friend there. If it weren't for him, we'd all be dead."

"It was nothing. Is he alright?" Cade asked, wondering along with the rest of the crowd on the landing, why Nova hadn't left the Bullhead yet.

The quiet boy nodded, "He took a hit from a Nevermore and his mask broke, so he doesn't want to come out."

Cade frowned and shook his head, then thanked the boy. He walked up to the craft alone, and had to wave the crowd back to keep them from charging inside. Nova sat in a corner, his golden eye softly glowing from the shadows. He held the two pieces of his mask in one hand, nervous about the crowd.

"Hey, Cade."

"Hey, Nova."

A long silence filled the bay of the dropship, and Cade tapped his fingers on the pommel of his sword, "It looks like you guys had a hard time, and I wanted you to know that you did a good job."

The stubbornly modest boy shook his head, "I do what I can, no different from anyone else."

He rolled his eyes, "Alright come on, let's go."

"I can't," Nova said plainly. "My mask broke, and there's too many people."

"So you've got stage fright?" Cade asked with a raised eyebrow.

A long pause followed as Nova thought to himself, and he whispered "You don't understand."

Cade let out an irritated sigh, "What, are you five years old? The entire school knows that you saved Pyrrha, and now they know about Team CFVY. No one is going to care what you look like behind the mask."

The swordsman glared at his team leader in silent frustration, but gave in on one condition, "No cameras." Knowing that the swordsman wouldn't budge otherwise, Cade left the Bullhead and informed everyone, and they respectfully complied. Nova tentatively left the craft to join up with his friends, nervously shifting his eyes at the crowd of people.

It was the first time Jaune had seen Nova unmasked, and to be quite honest, he wasn't surprised. It made sense that he would wear a mask because of scars, both physical or emotional. He turned to Pyrrha to ask her opinion, but she had completely vanished.

Surprised by his missing partner, he looked over the crowd and caught the bright red of her long ponytail as she turned the corner. He subtly followed, and found her at the base of a stairway leading deeper into the academy. She was wide-eyed, and it looked as though all the color had drained from her face.

"Pyrrha? Are you alright?" he questioned, "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Her head snapped in his direction, and she opened her mouth to speak, but the words refused to form. All she managed to do was shake her head. He started to feel worried for her. Was she that shaken up about Team CFVY? "If your worried about CFVY, don't be. They're in good hands."

"I-I-I can't say," she stammered, shaking her head.

Jaune then placed a hand on her shoulder, "Pyrrha, we've been through this. Just talk to me and you'll feel better, I promise."

Pyrrha stepped away from him, shaking her head again with a pained grimace, "No Jaune, I can't. I… need to be alone for this."

Jaune frowned, but nodded, "Okay. Let me know if I can help." She waited for him to leave, then she completely lost her composure. Her back scraped against the wall as she shrunk to the ground.

What was she supposed to do?

* * *

After getting patched up, Team CFVY was sent to the cafeteria for a much-needed feast. Chatter was sparse for a while, until Yang asked how they got into their predicament in the first place.

"We were doing fine at first," Coco started, and had a white bandage wrapped around her head, "But then a Giant Nevermore showed up out of nowhere and slammed into the cliffside, throwing huge boulders all over the place. I don't remember it but obviously I got hit in the head really hard."

Velvet looked at her partner with concern, but continued the tale, "After that it was impossible to leave without assistance, so we had to hold for as long as we could. We managed to get away from the Grim and hide in an outcropping that was easy to defend, but there was no way out."

"Yeah, but then Nova showed up," Coco chuckled, "So get this; the Bullhead hovers above us for just a few seconds, then this idiot leaps out of the side and dives face-first into a horde of bloodthirsty baddies!"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time," Cade said, and everyone laughed.

"It get's better! He fights his way to us using his crazy fire magic, and then he walks up to us and says 'I heard you guys were in a tight spot.'" She said, trying to mimic Nova's much deeper voice. "Here I am, barely able to stand and blood leaking out of my head and I'm thinking, who _is_ this kid?!"

They laughed and lifted their glasses in salute to the swordsman, who had a wide grin on his face. "So the Bullhead lands on the top of the cliff, and we have to climb all the way up to get on the damn thing. I'm out for the count, and Fox had a busted arm already, so the only one who could carry me was Yatsu. It took forever, and the entire time we're climbing, Grimm are right on our heels trying to follow us, and Nova is right below us, throwing huge waves of flames that took down the entire cliffside every time he waved his hand!"

Nova shook his head, "She's exaggerating, each wave could only knock off a small section at a time."

"Whatever dude, it was awesome. Anyway when we got to the top, the Nevermore came back and smacked the Bullhead around, and then it flew over to Nova and tried to bite his head off. His mask just snapped in two, and he gave the Nevermore a death-glare that could slay a Goliath, then he throws a ball of fire into its mouth, and the entire thing just explodes! It was awesome!"

Coco continued to tell the tale she wasn't even conscious for, while Pyrrha did what she could to try to keep herself from staring at… Him. It was truly unbelievable. Looking back, she realized that all the pieces fit together. The lost memory after the explosion, the similar fighting style, the familiarity with his own forgotten name.

Pyrrha had never been more at war with herself.

Jaune had been her shining knight for her time in Beacon, saving her from a pit of loneliness she had suffered from for years. After months of healing and detaching herself from her lost childhood friend, she had come to truly love Jaune, and her feelings for Milo faded.

So what was she supposed to do, knowing that Milo is alive? All this time he was right in front of her, hidden behind Nova's mask.

* * *

 _ **Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.**_

 _ **-Romans 12:9**_

* * *

 **For those of you who don't know, Amber is the Fall Maiden.**


	10. Kings and Queens

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Kings and Queens

* * *

 _Six months ago..._

General James Ironwood sat at his desk, impatiently tapping the cold metal with a prosthetic finger. The frigid air penetrated deep, and sent chills up and down his spine. His prosthetic sparked at the shoulder and sent his arm into a fit of spasms for a few moments, a byproduct of the high stress he was enduring.

With a practiced motion, he tapped an eight-digit password into a projected keypad to the left of his chair. Three holographic screens illuminated the dark room, showing scout reports of movement in the Vale branch of the White Fang; large initiation pushes, vehicles being sent from an unknown supplier, and most of the Dust in Vale stolen because of Torchwick's thievery.

And those were just the reports that had facts to prove the scouts' honesty. A few were giving hunches of massive movement of Grimm in between Vacuo and Vale, that they were somehow spawning at an immense rate.

It couldn't be more clear that something was happening soon, but there weren't many ways to deter an army that size beyond bringing an entire battle-cluster to Vale during the Vytal Festival. That ought to be enough to intimidate the Fang until the celebration is over, and everyone can go home in peace. As for the Grimm, the new Knights and Paladins should be enough to bolster the defenses.

A tone chirped, alerting the Headmaster of Atlas that someone was requesting to enter his office. With a wave of his hand he closed the files, then quickly adjusted a wire in his prosthetic shoulder. "Enter," he said into the intercom.

The doors opened with a hiss of decompressing air, and the light tap of footsteps announced the arrival of Winter Schnee. She walked briskly up to the General's desk and stood at rigid attention, "Sir."

She was empty-handed. He stood slowly, wearing a stern glare while he studied her subtle reactions. The vein in her neck pulsed rapidly, and he could ever so slightly detect the odor of a nervous sweat. Her eyes were slightly wider than usual, and her mouth was pressed firmly in a straight line.

Winter was very nervous. Disciplined, but nervous. "Did you find him? Report," he demanded sternly.

"Mission failed, sir. I tracked the target into the mountain ridge northeast of Vale, but the trail went dead. It appears as though he completely vanished. I searched the surrounding area, but no leads were found, sir."

"You gave up?!" Ironwood hissed, his face turning red with anger, "That is unacceptable, Winter!" he spat, "You are one of the best Atlas has to offer and all you have for me is 'he vanished'?!" His fists clenched in furious anger and he grit his teeth. His anger drove him to shatter his desk, to throw something fragile and break it, but such actions did not befit a General.

Winter was taken aback by his outburst. While she did expect him to be disappointed or angry for a failed mission, he had always shown restraint. To see the General act so upset was disconcerting to say the least. Taking several calming breaths, Ironwood ran his hands through his short hair as he sat down and tried to come up with a way to resolve the situation. "Where did you look?"

She blinked, snapping back into attention, "I looked extensively in the Vale Kingdom area for any evidence that target went or was taken there. I checked the police department, security cameras, traffic cameras, I even went to a well-known information dealer in the inner ring of the city, and he knew nothing."

"You have to give me more than that, Winter. Tell me you at least talked to Ozpin?"

"I didn't talk to him, but I checked Beacon," she nodded, "I managed to hack into their computers and look at the incoming transcripts to see if he may have applied because of his skillset, but all of them checked out."

Ironwood cursed under his breath. It wasn't likely that he went to a high-ranking official for help, it simply wasn't his style. He may have run into a Huntsman that would be willing to tutor him, but again, he wouldn't put that kind of trust in someone he never knew. Then…. maybe he remembered something, and the memory wipe may have been only temporary. "What about the White Fang? Could we find him if they recruited him?"

This time Winter shook her head, "There are too many new recruits to screen them all, sir. It would take months to find him, and by then they would have moved him somewhere secret. In all likelihood, that is the path he took. After all, he did disappear on a Fang assassination mission," she noted, and the General nodded in agreement.

He sunk back into his chair with a sigh and closed his eyes. If that was the case, they were all in serious trouble. But what was much worse is that if Nova remembers where he came from, then it would mean the end of the General.

She pursed her lips, "Permission to speak freely, sir?" He nodded, and she relaxed a bit, "What makes him, just one soldier, so important?"

He grit his teeth, "That is classified, Winter."

"Sir," she held firm, eager and determined to know the truth, "This boy was an adolescent in captivity against his own will. That fact alone is enough to make you face serious criminal charges by the Council, so what makes that boy so important as to risk the safety of your career, as well as the future of Atlas?"

Ironwood thought for a moment on how to explain, "That boy is the key to winning this war. With the proper training, he could become a true one-man army, a true victory for us _even against the Grimm_. But if the enemy is given the chance to poison his mind then everything we care about, everything we have worked so hard to build, will be destroyed."

Winter's eyes widened and she gulped as the seriousness of her failure began to sink in, and Ironwood cursed himself for not clarifying the gravity of the situation before sending her on the mission. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes, "I need you to find that soldier, Winter."

Her heels clicked together as she snapped into attention once again, "Yes sir, I will begin searching immediately. Do... you want me to terminate the boy?"

"No! The boy must not die, you understand? If he dies then I'll be a dead man walking," Ironwood said with fear in his eyes.

A short pause followed as Winter stopped herself from pressing further, "Sorry sir, I'll find the boy as quickly as I can."

"I expect nothing less," Ironwood said, prompting her to turn and walk back through the doors. With a hiss, the room was sealed once again, and silence filled the room.

Ironwood's head rolled back and he stared at the ceiling, breathing to control the growing anxiety that swelled and twisted his stomach in knots. "So many sacrifices for the survival of Remnant."

He tapped a new password into the keypad, and a single, blank screen illuminated the desk. He raised his finger to the hologram, which beeped after analyzing his thumbprint. A single folder was shown, labeled 'The Fall Project.' Inside was the extensive collection of pictures, videos, informational notes, and mission files that pertained to the asset.

Ironwood's most glorious creation. Milo Aurelius, reborn as Nova Chrysus, meant to be the one great weapon to be used against the enemies of humanity. Against the boy's own will, perhaps, but the needs of the many far outweigh the needs of just one boy.

At the bottom of the list was one mission report, entitled 'Operation Genesis.'

He wanted to see how it all began again.

 **[Begin Transmission]**

 **Objective:**

 **-Retrieval of potential asset.**

 **Details:**

 **-Asset strategic value= ABSOLUTE.**

 **-*Must be captured alive.* Has extensive and deadly training in melee and hand-to-hand combat, and is an exceptional marksman. Huntsman-in-training. Lives with 3 known civilians; Marcus (Father) and Akouo (Younger brother) Aurelius, and Vivian Aurelius (Step-mother). Family has no known combat experience.**

 **-Further details on combat patterns and tendencies in full briefing.**

…

 **Mission Assessment: AI-**********3313**

 **-Standby for assessment-**

 **...**

 **[Assets deployed]**

 **-25 (Twenty-five) Special Forces ['Shadow' class] troops. All 7 (seven) year veterans or greater-**

 **-Mission progress unknown. Video recorders damaged-**

 **-Explosive detonated [source unknown]. [NON-human aid required. Temperatures above 200(F)] Possible Grimm interference?-**

…

 **[Mission Complete]**

 **-Standby-**

…

 **-Asset contained. *[EMERGENCY] ASSET REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION!*-**

 **-Operation time: [Duration; 00:07:42:86]-**

 **-Stable-**

…

 **[Final Assessment]**

 **-Remaining assets: 1(+1=TARGET)-**

 **-Military casualties: 24-**

 **-Civilian Casualties: 3-**

…

 **-Strategic value of [TARGET]=ABSOLUTE-**

 **-Losses acceptable-**

 **-Mission Success-**

 **...**

 **[END TRANSMISSION]**

The General who had ordered the operation closed and encrypted the file again, shaking his head at the loss of life. "So many sacrifices."

* * *

 _Present Day_

"Of course he passed! I've never seen such aura control in anyone other than Glynda before, and this is just a boy," Professor Port exclaimed to the other Beacon staff. "Why, when I told him that he may need help clearing the initial mass of Grimm, he laughed and jumped off the plane! Ah, I remember having such enthusiasm in my youth."

"You mean before the Great War, correct?" Oobleck quipped, and the group of teachers heartily laughed.

They were all gathered in the teacher's lounge; a moderately sized room filled with various seating arrangements and plenty of coffee brewers. They often took the little spare time they had resting in the private room beneath Ozpin's office, and shared with each other the tales of their students' and their own adventures.

Yet for whatever reason, today Ozpin was a bit distant. He appeared to be lost in thought, and it wasn't long before Glynda took notice. "Professor Ozpin? What are your thoughts?" He snapped from his idle stare and looked at Glynda, unaware of the previous topic.

His only answer came in the form of a slurp from his coffee mug. Goodwitch rolled her eyes and turned back to the other teachers, while Ozpin considered a question he had pondered, "How is Nova adapting to school? I know it has been some time, but I would still like to keep tabs on his behavior," the Headmaster declared.

Sluurp.

Dr. Oobleck was the first to speak, "I believe he has adapted well. Lately he has invested far more time into his studies, and he treats not only his team, but most others as well."

Sluurp.

"Yes, it appears as though he is a completely different person from when he first arrived," Port added. "He still refuses to go without his mask and had it repaired, but besides that detail it seems that everyone has accepted Nova here at Beacon."

Sluuuuuurp.

"Would you stop that?!" Glynda shouted at the Headmaster, making everyone jump. He calmly placed his mug on the table, and Glynda cleared her throat, "I wouldn't exactly say that everyone is accepting of Nova."

They exchanged glances with raised eyebrows, uncertain. "Why not?" Professor Port asked.

"I have noticed that a member of Team JNPR, Lie Ren, does not trust him in the slightest," Glynda stated, "I'm not sure what he did to earn such behavior, they rarely speak with each other, and to my knowledge they have never even argued."

Oobleck put a finger to his chin in thought, "A personal vendetta of some kind? Possibly jealousy?"

"Young Ren isn't what I would call a jealous boy," Port added, "Perhaps we are simply misunderstanding him."

"No, I am certain," Glynda interrupted, "It almost seems like Ren despises him, despite the fact that they are barely affiliated with each other."

Ozpin did know one thing, but it raises many questions. "Ren has an innate ability to sense someone's intentions. It makes it easy for him to choose his friends, and explains the fact that he can be so close to someone so hyperactive as Nora Valkyrie, but what could he possibly see in Nova?" he asked out loud, but none of them could come up with an explanation reasonable enough for Ren to hate the boy.

The situation was concerning to say the least, and put a significant amount of stress on Ozpin's mind. Was there something he was missing? Could the boy be hiding a dark secret deep within? It was so difficult to tell; he seemed genuinely happy to be at Beacon, to learn how to control his semblance and to help those in dire need.

Perhaps it is nothing, and Ren simply doesn't like Nova's personality. Unlikely, but a possibility all the same. The best course of action would be to continue on as they are. In time, Nova would reveal his true nature, and it is Ozpin's belief that it will be for the better.

* * *

They called it The Summit.

A great castle of black stone that stood atop a mountain on the northeastern most continent of Remnant, built far before the four Kingdoms. The air was stale and dry, and the land had become a barren wasteland long ago. Over time wind eroded away at the dead land, exposing massive crystals that glowed with an inner shadowy purple flame.

The halls of the castle stayed alight with eternal black fire, witchcraft long forgotten to time. Grimm aimlessly crawled through the grounds, making the dark place seem like that of a nightmare. The shattered moon glowed with an eerie light, illuminating the old fortress in the deep of night.

The light tick of high-heels and a chime of Dust jewelry echoed throughout the deepest dungeons. Cinder hated going to the old fortress. It was always intolerably cold, and the air about her set her teeth on edge, making her feel like someone was watching her every movement.

And then there were the Grimm. Cinder had been so accustomed to slaughtering them on sight, that having even a single one of them cross her path without giving so much as a glance was incredibly unnerving. Eventually she came to a massive set of double doors, and paused before entering the great hall of The Summit.

Meeting the Witch was always a stressful endeavor.

With a quick, anxiety-filled breath, she quietly pushed the doors open. Only two people were present to greet her; the self-proclaimed Queen of Remnant, Salem, and High Lieutenant of the White Fang, Adam Taurus.

"Ah, Cinder. We have been awaiting your arrival," Salem greeted her with open arms, and gestured to a seat on her right hand side.

"Late, as usual," Adam spat, hatred laced in his voice.

She sneered at the radical faunus, then gave Salem a slight bow. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, your grace." The words left a bad taste in her mouth. Cinder _hated_ having to submit to someone else, but the only way to get what she wanted was to follow Salem's plan, at least for the time being.

"Adam, calm yourself. You are both young, and very important to me in this time of change," Salem said with a wicked grin, "Now is not the time for infighting, we must plan for the fall of a Kingdom. The Grimm will swell in great numbers, but the Atlas machines will be vitally important in making that force overwhelming." She turned to Cinder, her oddly-colored eyes sending chills down the young woman's spine, "Are you certain that the virus you planted is foolproof?"

"Without a doubt. It is untraceable, and the program will only activate under specific circumstances," Cinder confirmed.

"Excellent, it will be needed to incite the Grim invasion." The witch thought for a moment, foreseeing possible outcomes, predicting the reactions of Vale's defenses. "We are close, but something is missing… Ah yes, the 'Atlesian Paladins.' With a large enough supply of these mechanized play-things, the children at Beacon will be far too busy protecting themselves to worry about the citizens of Vale. We will need more."

Adam tapped the hilt of his sword in thought, "Roman Torchwick managed to steal a few, but I doubt we would be able to collect as many through him."

The Witch nodded, "I agree. Someone new should be sent to negotiate with our supplier, a candidate that no one would expect to aid us. Do either of you know of such a new and useful tool?"

Silence filled the room as the two leaders thought of someone that could fill the role. Cinder had an idea, though it may be a long shot, "I think I know someone we could use, but it may take time to convince him."

Salem lifted her chin and sneered, "You know the importance of this mission, Cinder. Who is this man?"

Cinder twitched, this was the hard part. "He is a huntsman-in-training at Beacon Academy, easily the best Vale has to offer, and he's only been there for less than a year."

"A boy?" Salem laughed, a shrill cackle that echoed through the dark halls of The Summit. "We need a professional, not some child who can barely handle his own weapon."

The young woman's cheeks flared, and she opened her mouth to protest when Adam interrupted, "Now is not the time for jokes, wench."

Cinder leaped to her feet, and Adams hand fell to the hilt of his blade, "Listen you little shi-"

"SILENCE!" The old witch's voice was laced with black magic, darkening the chamber and piercing their hearts with terror, making them both flinch and back away. She waited for them both to sit again before speaking, "Now. Cinder, your boy will be our last resort, should Adam be lacking."

Adam regained his composure by slicking back his hair with a comb of his fingers, "I know about a volunteer from Atlas that's perfect for the job. He has extensive experience with negotiation, and is trusted by his peers. No one will suspect him."

"Then it appears that we have our new recruit," the Witch nodded, accepting Adam's proposal.

Cinder huffed, frustrated for having been blown off so easily. "You don't understand, this kid is the best-"

"We will use Adam's man," Salem snapped. "If you are so adamant about this boy, then when the time is right, approach him for further endeavors." Cinder bit back a retort, careful to calm her fiery tongue, lest the Witch decide to use her black magic against her.

The old Witch smirked, "After all, the Grimm do love fresh meat."

* * *

 _Five months ago..._

The world was ending.

At least that's what it felt like to Qrow, who was at the moment, sobering up. He had been tracking the movements of the enemy for weeks, and was far too busy to get even a single drink. Inevitably he ran out of his private stash, and the hangover came with a rabid vengeance.

These were desperate times indeed.

And now, just as he was catching a break, he got a call from an old acquaintance. They agreed to meet in Mistral, luckily near the place he was already staying. After a short flight into the next town, he plowed his way through the inn's aged doors.

The bar was filled with unsavory characters, all of which gave the Huntsman a hateful glare for a short moment. He gave them all a wide grin and the men and women at the bar rose their mugs in greeting, cheering at their favorite bar-fighter and drinking partner.

He found her with a quick scan of the room, hiding in a darkened corner of the saloon. She was doing well enough to avoid being noticed, and if you didn't already know it was her, you certainly wouldn't realize that it was Winter Schnee sitting in the corner.

Qrow ordered a drink that the bartender poured into a shot-glass, then downed the drink with a single gulp. He looked at Winter, raising an eyebrow at her uniform, a matte-black, hard leather armor, along with a dark cloak that did well to keep her blended with the darkness. In public, the Atlesian uniform was a stark white, but when something needed to be done discreetly, the Atlesian Special Forces donned their stealth armor.

He sauntered over and sat at the table across from her with an exaggerated sigh, leaning back in his chair. She made no motion to welcome him, but he saw the sneer she gave him from beneath her concealing hood.

"You know Winter, if we keep meeting like this the people are actually going to start saying things," Qrow remarked, a slight smirk at the corner of his mouth. He always enjoyed teasing the eldest Schnee daughter, mostly because of how flustered she would get after just a few words.

"Don't even start, Qrow," she hissed.

He gave a quiet chuckle, "Touchy today, what's got you all worked up?"

"Nothing," She said, far too quickly, "We need to get a room to speak in private, though."

He smiled evilly, she was making it too easy, how could he not tease her? "Straight to business, huh? You won't even buy me a drink first?" She growled and he gave an exaggerated sigh, "I get it, beggars can't be choosers, right?"

Her face contorted into a hateful glare, "Screw you," she hissed between her teeth.

Qrow shrugged, "Hey, if that's your plan I won't stop yo-" A hard slap echoed throughout the inn and many of the bar's patrons turned to see Qrow laughing hysterically, while being dragged up the stairs by a hooded, yet clearly enraged woman.

The trip to the already-rented room was enough for Winter to calm down a bit, and she gently closed and locked the door behind her, letting out a tired sigh as she pulled her hood down, "Would you at least try to be a bit more decent?"

Qrow raised an eyebrow and sat down at a small table next to the bed, "I could, but where's the fun in that?"

Winter did her best to control her temper, "Just. Try."

She turned to gaze at the room she had rented previously, taking in the modest accommodations for the first time. The walls, floors, and furnishings were all wooden, finished to a darkened sheen. One King sized bed on the right wall, opposite a small fireplace, and one bathroom and a small kitchen. It was indeed modest, but enough for a simple meeting such as this, not to mention that the walls were thick and insulated, preventing others from listening in on the people inside.

The bright moonlight illuminated the dust that slowly drifted through the musty air of the room, and small candles flickered in the darkness. Qrow sat at the table next to the bed, both hands behind his head as he leaned back to relax.

"What, is Jimmy treating you like a dog of the military again?" he teased, knowing she would hate his jesting.

" _General Ironwood._ " She said firmly, giving him an angry glare.

The huntsman huffed, "Oh, so now he's worthy of respect? Last time we met you said he was intolerable!"

"I did not!" she yelled, then continued once she regained her composure, "I said that everyone makes mistakes."

Qrow's red eyes grew more intense for a moment, "Oh sure, mistakes like kidnapping a fifteen-year-old kid and turning him into a murdering psychopath. That's one hell of a guy you've got there!" he said, his voice layered thick with taunting sarcasm.

"The General makes choices for the good of Remnant," she snapped, jumping to her superior's defense, "He is a good man and a great leader, unlike you; a dirty, untrustful, scum-sucking, shallow, arrogant-"

"Who are you calling dirty?" he asked with mock hurt.

She let a hiss of air through her teeth to stifle the growing rage, "Focus," she breathed, telling not only Qrow, but herself as well. Once the tension died down a bit, Winter moved forward with the actual reason she came searching for the Huntsman, "Did you find out who he was?"

"Yep," he slapped a folder on the table, thick with numerous papers, "Some kid name Milo Aurelius, lived out in the boonies of Mistral. Apparently he was best-buddies with Pyrrha Nikos ever since they were five or so. Went to Sanctum for two years, but stayed pretty much under the radar, not exactly the 'attention-grabber' type of guy."

"So what happened?" Winter asked, "Any clues on why Atlas would want him?"

"More or less. I found a hospital report that says he got some virus, so they ran some blood tests and found something they didn't understand. They sent the sample to Atlas, and about a month later he was presumed dead from an explosion in his home. Sounds to me like Ironwood found something he liked."

Winter sat down, resting her head in a palm as he spoke. It seemed surreal, that the man she had looked up to for so long had done something so terrible. "This is enough to send to the Council, you know. We could get Ironwood thrown in jail for a very, very long time," he suggested.

"No no, we're going to need him," she said, shaking her head. A thought occurred, and she reached over to grab the folder of information on Milo. She stood, and with a flick of her wrist, the entire collection of papers flung into the fireplace, igniting the flames to brighten the room's glow.

"Why'd you do that?!" Qrow exclaimed, stunned that Winter would destroy something so important.

"It would only give someone a chance to track the two of us," she explained, poking at the embers with an iron rod.

"Whatever," he sighed, "Did Ironwood suspect anything?"

"He didn't suspect me, but he did order me to track Nova down." She seemed dejected, disappointed in herself and in the General.

"Then you'll be fine," Qrow reassured.

She nodded, then shook her head to focus again as she returned to the table, "How is he doing, anyway? Adapting well to Beacon I hope?"

"He made it onto a team called Crimson with a few misfits," the huntsman chuckled, "he's a bit out of their league but they seem to be getting along."

"That's not too bad," she nodded.

"True, but I can't figure out what's worse, someone figuring out who he is, or him remembering where he came from," Qrow added remorsefully.

 _If the enemy is given the chance to poison his mind then everything we care about, everything we have worked so hard to build, will be destroyed._

The huntsman frowned when he noticed her posture change, and she leaned forward in her chair, a tired and nervous expression on her pale face. "Did I make the right choice, Qrow?" she asked with a hushed voice, "Is the freedom of one boy worth risking so much?"

"Don't do that to yourself. You saw something that you knew was wrong, and made a judgment call. No one can fault you for that." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she slumped further, his words having no effect. "You said it yourself, what if it were Weiss in his place? You made the right choice, Winter." The corners of her lips curled ever so slightly, a smile that Qrow hadn't seen in a very long time.

Many people wondered why he was always drinking, and even more still simply wrote him off as a perpetual drunk. The truth was so much more simple, yet so complicated. Drinking held the longing at bay, kept the heartache from sinking too deep.

He would never forget the day Jacques Schnee forbid him from seeing his eldest daughter, and the battle that followed. He vastly underestimated the old man's skill, and the loss hurt him in spirit far more than in body.

Qrow started drinking ever since then, and things only got worse from there. Eventually, all good feelings she had for him were long gone, replaced by anger and disappointment, all the more reason to drink even more. All of that was eight years ago, and nothing much had changed. They met on occasion, but more likely than not they were arguing and fighting with each other.

He pulled away from her before she wizened to his touch, knowing that it could only end badly. "I just hope nothing goes wrong," she stated bluntly.

"Oh, I'm sure life will find a way to make something go wrong," he remarked with a grin. "Feels like old times, doesn't it? Ignoring our parents, running off to do what we know is right?"

He struck a nerve, and everything went downhill in an instant.

"That was before I knew you," she hissed.

Qrow rolled his eyes, "You've always known me-"

"You stabbed me in the back!"

"I told you already, making me follow orders works less than baptizing a cat. You _knew_ I couldn't enslave myself in the military!" His head pounded as the hangover got the better of him, and he hated himself for shouting at her.

Winter's hand rested on the hilt of her sword, and her icy blue eyes glared at him with rage. "Get out," she said in a low whisper, tasting blood as she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek.

He stood and walked for the door, shaking his head with a long sigh. "It was good to see you again, Winter. Maybe next time-"

"The next time I see you Qrow, I will cut out your tongue. Do you understand?" There it was again, the hatred that has rooted deep in her heart.

Qrow needed a drink.

He slowly moved for the door, and opened it wide. "I look forward to it," he whispered, and quickly closed the door before she could respond. A thud against the door and the sound of shattering glass told him that she had thrown something breakable, just a second too late.

He needed a lot to drink.

Winter crushed the table with a swing of her blade, then whirled around and threw it deep into the wall. Gripping her hair, she sat on the bed and wiped her eyes thoroughly before the tears could fall.

"I hate him," she lied to herself.

"I _hate_ him."

* * *

 _ **Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.**_

 _ **-Psalm 143:8**_


	11. Skyfall

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Skyfall

* * *

The Vytal Festival. A celebration of peace between the four Kingdoms, and a grand tournament in the name of friendly competition between the huntsmen academies. A time to make new friends, form bonds, and remember that we stand together.

To Nova, it was all a massive waste of time. What was the intent of a mockery of battle when time and resources could instead be spent on learning more about the Grimm, or preparing for the nearly-inevitable war in the future? Either way, it wasn't his place to complain about the activities of the Vytal Festival, so he prepared for the tournament all the same.

But how would someone like Nova fight individuals that lacked his experience? The answer was simple; wait. Use his laser to pick away at the enemy team's auras, boring work for the time being, but well worth it once a worthy opponent is found.

It took time, but in the third round of fights, one of the more talkative opponents asked why he had swords if he never uses them. He simply said that he only fights people good enough, and the gun-toting young boy tipped his hat, then drew his revolver at lightening speed, cracking off six shots almost too quickly for Nova to dodge them. Nova didn't have to use his semblance, but it did take time to defeat the cowboy.

Pyrrha was better. _Far_ better if she was focused and angry.

Speaking of Pyrrha, the Mistrali had barely given Nova so much as a glance ever since he returned from his mission to bring back CFVY, months ago. Perhaps Ren was getting to her. He saw the hatred in the quiet boy's eyes often, a rare look from someone who was regularly so kind, though a look Nova received more often than he'd like.

But not everyone was that way, many enjoyed his company, especially now that he was more open with them. After a long day of tournaments, everyone was eager to have a well-deserved feast and tell of their battles.

Thinking of strategies that his team might use in the future, Cade nodded in Nova's direction, "If you think about it, we could have you light up a fire, then teleport you right next to the enemy team and just blow up. They'd never see it coming and the blast would probably end the game right there."

Nova's scroll chirped as a message was sent to him, so he set it to silent to speak with his friends without interruption. "We could do that, but I wouldn't want to accidentally hurt someone," he explained, "Not to mention that it's not very sporting."

"What those guys did you your team today wasn't very sporting," Yang argued from the seat to his right, "If they can do it then why not you? It would pretty much guarantee your spot in the finals."

"Maybe, but I don't really care about winning this thing." Nova took a second to think, staring at his plate-full of delicious looking food, then reached back and removed his mask. Yang smiled, pleased to know that he was comfortable with them enough to relax for a change. She gave him a friendly nudge of acknowledgment, which he returned with a playful kick to her shin.

One person asked if he was truly blind in his left eye, and when he responded with yes, they forced him to explain how he was still so good at blocking attacks from his left side. "It's all about awareness, guys. You don't have to see the weapon to know where the attack will be, you can look at their eyes, the rotation of the shoulder, movement of the hips and legs, the list goes on and on. Follow the movement of someone's body and you can read them like an open book."

Cade and Jaune took special attention from this bit of information, knowing that they need all the help they can get. A flurry of new fighting questions came, but he just laughed and raised his hands in surrender, "Another time guys, geesh."

Deciding to check his scroll for the message he received earlier, he opened the new messages tab, but there were none. Perplexed, he inspected the people who previously sent him messages. At the top of the list was Yang, which wasn't out of the ordinary, but the last message she sent him was just before CMSN's match, around midday.

His scroll was showing that she had sent him a message only a few minutes ago, _but it was already opened._ Nova immediately excused himself from the table and moved to a private area so he could figure out exactly what was going on.

With one-hundred percent certainty, he did not open this last message. Also, not a single person in the room could possibly remove his Scroll from his front pocket without him noticing. Which leaves only one possible option; Nova's Scroll was being hacked and his messages were being read.

He decided that the best course of action would be to confront this hacker, and try to make them back off. Later, he would have his number changed and his Scroll replaced, and notify Professor Ozpin. Tapping away at the screen he sent a message to his own number, _'_ _Whoever you are, I know you're there. You won't find anything on my scroll, so now is the time to stop.'_

It didn't take ten seconds for him to receive a reply. _'_ _I am impressed, Nova. You are correct._ _B_ _oth your scroll and Beacon file_ _h_ _ave been hacked... and they raise questions to the powers that be.'_

Nova's brow furrowed in concern. Why would someone spy on him? What is on his file that would raise questions? Was his military refugee status in his file? If that were true, this hacker could try to blackmail him or turn him in. It was a very dangerous situation he was caught in. _'_ _Enough games.'_

Before he could type more, another message came, _'_ _You are completely right, perhaps we should move this from a game into the realm of serious effect? It is clear that you were not meant for Beacon. If you wish to know more, meet me in private, and we may discuss your files in detail.'_

Now Nova was getting frustrated. He needed to find this person and make them stay away from both him and his friends, but he also needed to find out more about his past. If this person knew something, then this was a chance for him to learn who he was. Still, meeting in private was out of the question. _'_ _I don't meet with people in dark alleys for obvious reasons.'_

' _Oh come now, at least give a girl a chance to prove herself. Meet me at Junior's tonight. I'll be the pretty one sitting alone in a booth.'_

' _If you truly read my file, you'd know that I'm underage for Junior's club.'_

' _You're a celebrity now- Just show up.'_

Still unsure if he would go, he replied, _'Then if I decide to go, I'll see you tonight.'_ Nova chuckled to himself as he blocked the number and turned off his scroll, knowing that this person would be waiting anxiously, not knowing whether or not he would show.

* * *

Nova waited until late that night before sneaking off. He made sure to bring his full arsenal of weaponry, should an ambush occur. Some might think that going to see this mysterious person is a terribly unwise decision, but the fact of the matter is that there was a chance for Nova to find out where he came from.

The possibility was simply too tempting to pass up.

When he walked up to the club's doors, he could hear the rhythmic pounding of the music within. The two guards posted outside gave each other a glance, then moved aside to let him pass. The second he walked through the doors, a beer was shoved into his hands by a severely drunk middle-aged man with a tribal tattoo on his left arm. "A tough one on the house! Have some fun, kid," he laughed heartily.

Nova accepted the opened bottle of amber liquid, but otherwise ignored the stranger and pushed his way through the busy crowd, searching the darkened room for someone that might be his new informant. To his astonishment, he caught a pair of golden eyes staring at him from a booth in the corner, someone he easily recognized as Cinder Fall. She swirled a small bit of wine in her glass, a knowing grin spreading on her lips.

She wore an intricate red and orange dress that glittered in the low light, accenting her bright eyes and dark hair. He could feel the look she gave him, a glare that studied him in ways more than physical. She was judging him by the way he stood, the way he carried himself and how he responded to others.

He tentatively sat at the booth, extending his senses to search for any approaching patrons, but no one came. "I never took you for a drinker," she questioned with a raised eyebrow as he placed the bottle on the table.

"Well, you guessed right," Nova said bluntly. With a snap of his fingers, he lit a small candle-like flame at the top of the bottle, fueled by the alcohol, and controlled by his semblance. He would never drink it, especially since it could be laced with poison and kill him. Or worse… render him unconscious and back in someone's prison. "Now, what do you want?" he asked, anxiously getting to the point.

Cinder rolled her eyes. "Always so quick to get things moving." She pulled several sheets of paper from below and set them on the table for Nova to see.

His heart started to pound as he reached for the papers, and he found his hands starting to sweat. This was it, the key to remembering who he was and where he came from. He quickly started reading through the file, but his heart plummeted as he continued to read.

Name; Nova Chrysus, Address; N/A, Parents/Guardians; None, the list went on and on with information that was completely useless. "I already know all of this. Why would you bother contacting me if you don't really know anything?"

"Much of this information is blank," she ignored him, "Do you know why?"

Nova looked at her with an angry glare, "I am a ghost. I don't have a home, I have no affiliations, no background, no face, and no parents."

"An orphan." she noted with a hint of remorse in her voice, "I know what that's like."

"Don't pretend to know me," he snapped. The candle-lit bottle flared for a moment as Nova's anger rose.

She grinned again, "Oh I don't pretend to know everything, but I do know some things. I know that you are exceptionally talented, that you are wasting your skills under the teachings of those 'Professors,' who will undoubtedly hold you back from your true potential, from your true power." She took a sip from her wine before continuing, "What is there to prove? You already know you are the best fighter in the school, so why not use your skills to fight for something more worthwhile?"

"This is a recruitment," Nova growled. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I just got out of Ironwood's boy-band, and I have no intention of joining another."

Cinder did her best to ignore his sarcasm to focus on putting the boy on her side, "So you are acquainted with the renowned General?"

"Better than most," he responded with obvious distaste.

She smiled, catching a subject that would gain he attention, "If your goal is to see his empire burn, then there is no better ally than me." Cinder's eyes burned with angry fire, showing clear hatred for the General.

He hated Ironwood. Facts are facts and one of them is that Nova Chrysus _hates_ General James Ironwood. And here was an offer to get his payback for all the experiments, to uncover the truth behind his past and show the world who their leader really was.

The words hung at the tip of his tongue, he desperately wanted closure, but this wasn't right. Revenge? Toppling entire kingdoms just to bring to light one man? The numbers just didn't add up, yet he couldn't just say no.

"…. I'll have to think about it," he said and stood to leave the woman behind.

With his back turned, she raised her glass in farewell, "Don't think too long Nova, our plans are in motion."

As the swordsman pushed his way through the exit, the bottle's flame snuffed out, leaving a trail of smoke to rise up to the ceiling. She chuckled and downed the last sip of wine, pleased with her work. Whether or not Nova joined her before the attack on Vale was irrelevant, the seed had been planted.

* * *

Cade fiddled with the straps on the right side of his belt, putting the finishing touches of a new holster for his revolver. He had decided that the best way to contribute to the heirloom would be to make it better, and a holster would be the perfect addition. He put the request in for the equipment, giving the measurements to the smith on Beacon's academy grounds. It took a few weeks, but the wait was well worth it. After clipping the contraption to his belt, he knelt to the ground and pulled the box from under his bed, using the key around his neck to open it.

Beholding the weapon was like gazing at a long lost treasure, an awe-inspiring piece of art too delicate to touch, yet at the same time a deadly weapon that could bring down any enemy with a single pull of the trigger. He lifted the revolver from its container, careful to make sure the hammer stayed down and the safety on.

Cade knew it was a bad idea but after The Breach in vale, he loaded his gun and kept it that way, in case he would ever need to use it at a moment's notice. So far he didn't need it, but the circumstances demanded for him to be prepared for the worst. He slid the weapon into it's holster and smiled because of the perfect fit, then practiced quickly drawing the weapon a few times for good measure.

He aimed down the red glowing sights for a few moments, then moved to put the weapon back in its case when the air to his right began to fracture and crack like a mirror. Neo seemed to step through the cracks, staggering for a moment as the air was sealed back together again. He had seen her illusion semblance before, but still hadn't exactly figured out how it worked, and settled for the conclusion that she can teleport and change her appearance.

Cade had long since gotten used to her spontaneous meetings when and wherever she pleased, so he simply holstered revolver with a grin and turned his hip in her direction, "Hey Neo, what do you think?"

The small girl moved past him and sat down at the edge of his bed, then looked up at him with her eyes glossy and reddened, as though she had been crying for some time. Concerned, Cade knelt in front of her, giving her a gentle hug and a kiss on the forehead, "What's wrong?"

She recoiled from him, fitfully stamping the tip of her collapsed parasol on the ground as she walked to the other side of the room. With her back turned, she took a breath and tucked a few loose strands of pink and white hair behind her ear.

When she turned to face him, she pulled her thin blade from the shaft of the parasol.

His eyes widened, and a hand fell to the hilt of his sword. "Neo?" As she blinked, her eyes flickered in a foray of colors, and she lunged forward with a grimace. Far too quick for him to draw his blade, he managed to sweep the stab aside with his left arm, when wrapped it around her waist and lifted her off the ground with one arm, pressing her tightly against his armored chest.

She squirmed against his embrace as he drew his loaded revolver and pulled back the hammer, pressing the muzzle firmly against her heart. He felt the pinch of cold metal just under his left arm, and both of them froze.

Cade could see the fear in her eyes. Not fear of him, not fear of dying, but of someone else. "Neo please, don't make me do this." Her eyes began to water, and she opened her mouth, letting out a choked hiss of air as her voice failed her.

He frowned and sighed, then slowly stowed his weapon and set her down. She kept her blade raised in his direction, but made no move to strike, so he tried to calm the situation. "I don't know what's going on, Neo. Did I do something wrong?" She immediately shook her head, "Then what's going on? Who is making you do this?"

Neo sheathed her sword and walked over to the holo-display, quickly accessing the Vale police department's most wanted. She pulled up pictures of Roman Torchwick and Adam Taurus, pointing at each of them.

Cade frowned as the realization came to him, "You work for them, don't you?" She seemed to shrink from him, confused of what is the right thing to do, and afraid of the consequences. He sadly sighed and turned away from Neo, "Do what you believe is right."

He expected to hear Neo draw her sword again, but instead she picked up his shield with a grunt and shoved it into his chest. He held on to the shield with his left hand, while she lifted his revolver and fitted it into his holster. "Neo slow down, what's going on?"

The short girl stomped her foot and rapidly tapped the top of her wrist with a finger, making the message clear; _There is no time_. She grabbed his scroll and typed as quickly as she could, then thrust the device into his hands.

 _Vale is under attack. You need to get everyone out of the Coliseum immediately or they'll all die. Be safe._

Cade believed her. He pulled her into a hug, kissing her briefly as the air cracked like broken glass.

* * *

 **-Unit AK-348- [Sentry mode active]**

 **[Primary Directive: Protect citizens]**

 **-Grimm proximity alarm armed; inactive-**

 **-Potential terrorist threat raised to level 2-**

 **-Maintain current….**

 **[PRIORITY ALERT!]**

 **-Subject [Penny-001] destroyed-**

 **-Secure area and investigate cause-**

…

 **[GRIMM PROXIMITY ALERT]**

 **-Level 9-**

 **-Evacuation of citizens required-**

 **-Searching for referral program-**

…

…

 **-Program [CHECKMATE] identified-**

 **-SECURITY BREACH! PROGRAM [CHECKMATE] NOT RECOGNIZED!-**

 **-ABORT! SHUTDOWN! STOP!STOP!STOP!-**

…

…

…

…

 **-Reboot failed-**

 **[CHECKMATE]**

 **-IF; Grimm incursion lvl. 9-**

 **-IF; Subject: Penny-001 (inactive)-**

 **-IF; White Fang extremists present-**

 **-IF; Vale Kingdom civilization kill in progress-**

 **-Then; Re-evaluate prime directive-**

 **-Defend [Class A-33876 (NOVA) superweapon]-**

 **-Terminate all Huntsmen and civilian entities-**

 **[CHECKMATE]**

* * *

Nova was the first to act as the Atlas Knights turned their weapons to the crowd. In a single motion, he unsheathed one of his swords and threw it at the nearest robot, destroying the machine in an instant. He drew his next sword and charged, cutting apart as many as he could before they fired into the helpless audience.

But he couldn't stop them all.

The terrified screams echoed through the Coliseum as the Atlesian Knights unloaded their weapons into the unsuspecting audience. Nova reclaimed both of his weapons and switched them to ranged, picking off as many of the droids as he could while he still had the high ground, but the masses started to panic, running to the exits and obstructing his view.

He fired upward, breaking open a panel just above him that spilled out several hoses and wires, then leaped up and grabbed a handful of hoses and pulled himself up, coiling them around his leg. With a steadying breath he let himself relax and hang upside-down, taking careful aim and felling a droid with every pull of the trigger.

"Huntsmen and Huntresses!" Nova looked down at the front row of the audience, and saw Jaune arc with his sword raised high in the air. "Destroy the robots! Protect the citizens! MOVE NOW!"

The stunned Huntsmen in training that littered the arena snapped from their confusion and lunged into action, diving in front of citizens to protect them, and cutting apart the machines that had just gunned down hundreds of innocents.

Before long, the crowd had cleared and escaped the Coliseum, and only the robots and Huntsmen remained. Nova cut the wires that held him aloft, and fell into the vicious battle that ensued between man and machine. Amid the chaos, Cadence Claret phased through thin air, and found himself neck-deep in the middle of a battle. He joined his friends immediately, all the while searching for Neo.

"Where have you been?!" Mike exclaimed after a flash of blue as he teleported to his team leader.

Cade kept his shield up, in case a stray bullet came his way, "I was…" The picture of Neo lunging toward him flickered in his mind, "I was busy. Have you seen Neo?"

"Who the hell is Neo?" The teleporter asked with a wave of his hands.

"Neo is my girlfriend. We kind of had a fight," Cade explained.

"With all due respect, I think that can wait until this crazy crap is over with," Gabe added, joining the group. They returned to the fight, but the robots seemed to be thinning out and grouping themselves near a hallway that lead to the underbelly of the Coliseum.

They noticed Nova, who had taken the fight to the droids in a fierce melee, tearing them apart with vicious strikes that crushed them with every swing. Oil dripped from his blades, and coolant fluid coated his armor.

"It's a good thing those are just robots," Mike noted. "It would be gruesome if they were living."

Gabe nodded, "Yeah, I'm glad he's on our side."

"Blake!" Nova suddenly yelled from across the fighting grounds, "Blake it's here! We need to find it!" The black-haired faunus frantically made her way to the swordsman, who fought through the thinning army of droids to reach the group.

She was terrified, shocked that her ignorance has already lead to the death of hundreds, and could easily lead to many more if they don't stop this weapon. "Where? Can you tell where it is?" She asked.

He pointed a blade at the hallway that the droids crowded around, "In the underbelly of the Coliseum. Looks like the robots are defending it. We don't have much time, so let's get moving."

Jaune had joined the conversation moments before, and took immediate action, despite not knowing the gravity of the situation. "Cade and I, push forward with shields to defend against their bullets, the rest, use ranged attacks to wipe them out. Nora, use your grenades to destroy groups. Go!"

RWBY, CMSN, and JNPR battled their way though the halls, pressing their advance as quickly as they could while Nova explained the situation to the group. "The Nova-bomb uses a huge amount of fire dust to operate, consuming and condensing the energy before finally gaining enough to create a fireball that could wipe out the entire stadium, maybe more depending on how much dust they use. The best way to deactivate it is to open the containment hatch and slow-burn the dust until it's all used up."

Weiss slashed the air with her dust blade, sending ice that burst into shards and pierced through a group of machines, "But if it's close to exploding, won't that just release all the energy it's already gained?"

"Not if you do it right," he quipped.

They fought their way down the hall, when suddenly Nova went frantic, "No, no, no!" He charged through the army of droids, cleaving his way though them as he went. The others followed suit, disengaging from Jaune's plan to rapidly chase after the swordsman, who disappeared to the left.

Around the corner was a dead end. Nova slayed the last few remaining droids, and immediately stabbed both blades deep into the wall. His aura glowed fiercely and the swords heated to immense temperatures, turning the metal wall a hot red as he melted his way through.

"Too long… Nora, hit it!" He yelled back at them. With a war cry, the hammer wielder swung her weapon hard, and the wall smashed in with explosive force. Nova dove inside before the smoke cleared, and the others followed into the next room.

The room was mostly empty, a simple observation area with a window that currently overlooked the Beacon Academy grounds, a few miles away. It was just before dusk, the decaying orange light filling the sky as the sun fell over the horizon. A beautiful sight, when not marred by a six-foot sphere at the center of the room, with red wires snaking in and out of the surface of the weapon.

Nova threw off his mask, and yanked off a square panel on the front of the explosive with a harsh tug, throwing it aside. He reached inside to carefully open the next panel when the bomb let out a loud, rapid beeping that made him flinch. He turned to the rest of the group, and they saw the terror in his eyes.

It was too late.

"Sorry," he managed to say, then whipped around and raised his hands to the bomb, and his golden aura shined bright.

A bone-crushing shockwave threw everyone back, and blew out the window overlooking the sea. The white-hot fire billowed toward the group in the blink of an eye, but was halted as if stopped by an invisible barrier between them and the deadly heat. The cloud of flames pulled inward on itself, and a light shined bright enough to pierce straight through Yang's closed eyes, forcing her to turn away. The fire continued to condense until only a small ball remained and the light began to fade.

The ball released, throwing the small remaining tongues of harmless flame around them all. Nova's scorched body immediately collapsed, landing on heat-warped metal with a hard thud. He convulsed, thrown into a fit of muscle spasms because of the immense and overwhelming use of his semblance.

Yang watched in terror as Nova suffered his seizure. She pressed forward into the scorching heat that made her eyes water, and tore off one of her gloves as she neared him. "Nova, it's Yang," she said with a shaking voice. She forced her glove between his teeth to prevent damage, and cradled his body to help calm him down. "I don't know what you did, but we're all fine," She continued to whisper reassurances into his ear, doing anything she could to help the young man she had just begun to love.

The spasms slowed to a stop and the swordsman relaxed, panting from the exhaustion, but his eyes stayed tightly shut from the pain. Yang felt something strange on her fingers, something rubbing off of Nova's skin. She lifted her hand to see what was wrong, and found gray dust between her fingers. His eyes finally opened, and he looked sadly up at Yang. Her breath hitched as she saw the look in his eyes.

He was saying goodbye.

His hand raised to cup her cheek, but the fire in his one golden eye darkened, and his head fell back. "No, no, no, Nova don't..." Tears filled her eyes, and she bit down hard on her lip in a mix of rage and pain, gripping clumps of her long hair and threatening to rip them from her head. A pair of hands stopped her, and Ruby's gentle voice tried to calm her older sister, but fell on deaf ears. Yang lifted his body closer and wept, the stream of tears burning down her cheeks as she clung to what remained of the heat on his body.

She heard a crackling, fizzling sound emanating from Nova, and looked down to see cracks crawl across his skin, quickly discoloring and dissolving his body. The gray ashes fell through her fingers and piled onto the floor as Nova disintegrated, until only his armor remained.

Yang couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She looked out of the window and onto the Beacon grounds, watching as a second Nova-bomb exploded within the academy. The flames bloomed over the buildings at the center, utterly destroying most of the empty school.

As the cliffside crumbled away, releasing the courtyard into the sea, and the hundreds of thousands of Grimm darkened the sky, only one thought echoed in Yang's mind over and over again.

He's gone.

* * *

 _ **Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.**_

 **-John 5:28-29**


	12. Wrath

The Fall Project

From Ashes

Wrath

* * *

"Hold the line, don't let them get through the window!" Jaune commanded as he thrust his blade into the gaping maw of an attacking Griffin. He stepped back to survey the situation, watching as the collection of students struggled to hold the swarming Grimm at bay. They were doing well, but they wouldn't last long without help. He turned around looking for answers, trying to find a way for them to hold out while they waited for rescue.

If they could get Yang on her feet, it would be just enough, but... she wasn't doing well. The young woman was in shock, staring blankly at the Nova's ashen remains, still coming to terms with the fact that he was gone. Jaune knew she would come around soon, and when she did, it definitely wouldn't be pretty. At the same time, it would be important to keep her calm, that way she wouldn't do anything too crazy.

When Nova died, it was a terrible moment for them all. He was the only one who truly rivaled Pyrrha in combat, and yet he was the first to fall. Despite that fact, the most unnerving part was when the swordsman disintegrated. That's what the _Grimm_ were supposed to do, not people. Jaune supposed that the bomb had something to do with it, but it was still strange to him. Either way, the others needed him to step forward right now, so he snapped most of the group into action before the creatures could swarm the room.

Suddenly he heard the booming grind of a Bullhead's main weapon and the hailstorm of bullets rained down on the swarm that tore into the window. A full squadron of dropships screamed past, drawing the beasts away from the students.

A few moments later, a transport Bullhead rose up to the window with the sidelong hatches open, and a Vale pilot extended a hand to the young huntsmen, "We need your help with the evacuation of Vale. Come on, get out of that death trap!"

The group looked to Jaune for guidance, who nodded for them to board the transport, then turned to Ruby. The red reaper returned a sad but determined look, and the young knight placed a hand on her shoulder. "We need Yang on her feet," he whispered, "think you can talk to her?"

Her brow furrowed as she gave her older sister a glance, but nodded, "She might not listen, but I'll try." She walked over to the Brawler and called her name, making the blonde flinch at the sound. Yang grit her teeth, and the grief quickly began to turn into anger.

Ruby lightly pulled on her arm, but was pushed away. "Yang, we need to help with the evacuation. I'm sorry about Nova, but-"

"Stop it!" Yang snapped, "None of you knew him like I did." She could see it now, what being Ironwood's puppet had done to him. He valued his friends' lives more than his own, and would sacrifice himself time and time again, until it finally was enough to take him. Who knew that someone wronged for so long could turn out to be so selfless?

Now it was her turn to pick up the torch. She wiped her eyes, forcing her grief to the back of her mind, and stood to make her way to the Bullhead. She heard a hiss behind her, and whipped around to see Nova's ashes alight with golden fire. The heat became so intense that she was forced to back away with her hands raised to protect her face, until she was far enough away to see what was going on.

The ashes were stirring, moving of their own volition as they coalesced into a shapeless mass that rose into the air. The ash began to glow bright white, fused back together by the immense heat, and began to warp into the familiar shape of a human. A dozen seconds followed before the mass drifted back to the ground, and began to fade.

Nova lay on his back as the last few flames flickered out, but remained motionless.

They were all stunned, completely speechless to the supernatural event they had just witnessed. Yang's heart thundered in her chest, waiting for a sign of life from the young man. The moment he lurched forward and gasped for breath, she was already hugging him, and couldn't stop the tears of joy from streaming down her face.

"Uh…. Yang?" Blake interrupted, "You might wanna… You might wanna look."

Something warm wrapped around her shoulders, enveloping her in a cocoon of velvety softness of the like she'd never felt before. She looked around in wide-eyed astonishment, marveling at the large, golden-feathered wings that sprouted from Nova's back.

Yang couldn't help but touch the left side of his face, where his scars used to be. He was completely healed of all injuries, even his amputated wings had come back. She was rendered speechless, having witnessed nothing short of a miracle before her very eyes.

While the others stared in silent wonder, Ren quietly made his way to Jaune, "He's a Phoenix," the quiet young man hissed.

Jaune took a moment to consider the unbelievable, seemingly impossible evidence. "Well that's great, isn't it?" he concluded, uncertain about Ren's dislike for the resurrected faunus.

"You once asked me why I don't trust him. There is something dark buried in his heart," he hesitated, trying to find a way to make the young leader understand. "Even in death, a Phoenix is a deceiver, Jaune. It's in his nature. He _can't_ be trusted," he urged, staying quiet so none of the others could hear.

Jaune huffed, disappointed with his teammate, "He just saved us all, Ren. If that doesn't make him worthy of the utmost trust, then I don't know what will."

Milo saw the deaths of his family. He watched the bullets tear into his father's chest, the blood pool around his mother's lifeless body, and… his brother. His broken home torn apart by Ironwood's soldiers, and his blades glistening with Atlesian blood. He saw the grenade that injured him and felt the explosion of rage and pain that ignited his semblance for the first time, burning it all away. The images flickered to Ironwood, staring down from above him while a machine stole away his past life. He remembered waking, and hearing the lies whispered through the General's teeth.

Words couldn't describe the pain of feeling it all again.

Yang noticed that his golden eyes were wide open in horror. He stared through her, off into the distance while his hands shook. In his confusion, he abruptly sprung to his feet, pushed Yang away, and defensively shielded his body. Finally noticing his wings, his head swiveled back and forth, trying to get a better look at them.

"Milo?" Pyrrha questioned cautiously with a look of shock and disbelief at seeing him perfectly whole.

"Pyrrha?!" he voiced with a lump in his throat. The glare he gave her was one full of hurt and betrayal by the one girl he trusted with his life since they were children. Instantly her heart twisted with regret and concern as she saw his memory fully restored.

"Milo?" Jaune asked, confused at hearing the name she gave her beloved weapon. But then he put a palm to his forehead as the realization dawned on him. It was so obvious. He looked like an older version of the boy on Pyrrha's Mistral Tournament video, the boy she kissed. The only significant difference was the addition of wings on his back. "Oh, I should have known..." he murmured to himself, feeling his heart sink deeper in his chest.

Yang looked at them both with confusion, "What do you mean, 'Milo?' What's going on?"

The group's leader shook his head and waved his hands, getting a grip on the situation before they lost too much time, "We can talk later. Right now we all have a job to do. Time is running out, so everyone on the Bullhead!"

"Come on," Yang urged Nova.

Slowly, the young faunus collected his swords as his mind became more focused. "No," he replied adamantly, shaking his head.

"What do you mean, no? We need your help!" she argued, trying to pull him toward the Bullhead. Thankfully, he went along with her guiding hand and took a step onto the dropship.

Faster than lightning, he shoved Yang on board with an outstretched wing and slammed the door shut before anyone could react. The brawler sprung back on her feet and slammed the door hard. "No!"

Yang's heart immediately rose into her throat, making her nervous and fearful. Did she do something wrong? And what was all of this about Milo? Wasn't that the name of Pyrrha's weapon? None of it made any sense! How could he abandon them?

How could he abandon _her_?

Milo stared at the aircraft until it disappeared around the corner, then closed his eyes, letting the last moments of Ironwood's attack on his home fill his mind again. He grit his teeth in rage, felt his heart thunder in his chest, and his hands ball into fists.

Everything felt vivid and overly-detailed, after living so long with only one eye. He could see the motion of the waves beneath the stadium, he could count the feathers on every Grimm that flew by… Feathers. Wings.

That's how he would learn to fly... by watching the Grimm!

With a running leap, he dove from the window and spread his wings wide, catching the wind and instinctively beating his wings to stay aloft. His eyes burned bright with rage and determination as he drew his blades and banked toward the city under siege.

Today, James Ironwood will know the meaning of wrath.

* * *

Winter watched from the window of her high-flying aircraft as the Grimm descended onto the city. She heard the scrape of claws and beaks against the hull of the ship as the creatures tried to rip their way inside, and swiftly drew her blade and stabbed at any creature who came close enough to breaking in.

The airship suddenly lurched, throwing Winter to the ground as something outside the craft exploded, and she started to feel weightless as they started to plummet to the ground. Using the rows of seats to brace herself, she quickly made her way to the cockpit.

The door flew open as the co-pilot, Lavender, fell flat on her back and fired wildly into the gaping mouth of a Nevermore with her pistol. Winter dashed forward and killed the creature with a swipe of her sword, then stepped into the cockpit.

Wind tore at her clothes and hair as she saw Jet fighting with the controls to keep the airship aloft. A Griffin smashed through the remains of the cockpit window, and the pilot reeled back to avoid the snapping creature, desperately trying to release the restraints for him to escape. The Griffin's beak snapped inches away from his face, but before Winter moved it let out a pained shriek and fell limp, then was ripped out of the window.

Jet immediately fought with the flight controls to maintain altitude, flipping switches and turning knobs to keep control of the craft. Winter sighed with relief as they leveled out, and the feeling of normal gravity returned. The relief was short-lived, however, when the ship lurched again, and the screech of metal echoed from the rear of the ship.

Winter turned to see a Paladin clawing its way toward them, nearly too large for the craft's passenger cabin. She lifted Lav by the collar and shoved the woman back into the co-pilot seat, "Get us to the harbor, that's where the evacuation will be." Winter ordered, but they all froze as a clatter shifted their attention back to the shattered cockpit glass.

A young man with a fierce gaze glared at them from the window, then shifted inside, his golden wings folded behind him to fit in the tight space. He barely regarded the three, drifting past them in silence. His bright-gold eyes snapped to the Atlesian Paladin clawing it's way toward them, and in a streak of gold and a gust of wind he flung himself toward the machine. The Paladin was smashed back through the gaping hole it had made in the rear of the craft and they both plummeted to the buildings below.

Winter stayed silent for a moment, still processing the image she had just witnessed. As the craft listed to the side, the pilots returned to the controls. She considered for a moment the hateful resolve the young man had on his face, and leaned toward the pilot, "Change of plans. We need to follow that faunus." She moved back into the ship's cabin, killing every Grimm that dared get on board.

After a few moments Lavender took off her helmet, giving her partner a look of disbelief, "Jet? What just happened?"

"I don't know Lav, but I think Vale has a guardian angel," he stated, and started the slow process of turning the large heap of metal around.

* * *

The clash of claw and metal reverberated from the walls of a warehouse in the Vale docks. Shattered wooden crates lay strewn about from the intense fighting, and the doors were broken in from the ravenous Grimm.

General Ironwood's pistol barked as he pounded shot after shot into the approaching creatures, felling as many as he could before they came close enough to bludgeon them with his hard-hitting prosthetic arm. He fired away with anger in his heart. Someone had stolen his mechanized army and slain hundreds, maybe thousands, giving Atlas one of the biggest insults in Remnant. Once he found the person responsible, the full might of Atlas will come down on their heads.

The Grimm fell quickly, unable to swarm the General because of his speed and accuracy. Moments later, an Ursa bulldozed it's way through one of the warehouse walls, throwing containers all over the building. The moment it saw the General, the beast bellowed and charged, trampling anything that got in it's way.

The old Huntsman crouched lower, preparing to dive out of the way and fire from behind, but a deafening crash sounded from above. Ironwood looked up to see a Paladin fall and crush the Ursa in an instant, making a sickening sound of crushing bone and twisting metal that made him want to cringe. He backed away as the machine began to stir, then gasped when a young man with dual swords and golden wings leaped up from the other side of the wreckage and landed on the Paladin's back, viciously hacking away at the exposed wires and hydraulics.

The machine struggled for a few seconds before flickering out and collapsing, and the young man ripped his blades from the metal carcass. His wings were pulled in close and he was crouched low, cautiously scanning for more hostiles and ready to dive at a moment's notice.

Ironwood's jaw dropped as the young man turned and faced him. His heart started pounding out of his chest. Milo's golden eyes locked with Ironwood's and his face twisted into one of absolute rage and singular hatred for the General. The familiar clang of metal footsteps diverted Ironwood's attention as he saw a full squad of Atlesian Knights charge in and level their weapons at the faunus.

He didn't even look at them.

With a simple twitch of his wrist, all six robots exploded from within and fell to the ground, the plastic casing boiled away to reveal a metal humanoid skeletal frame. A horrid squeal sounded, an inhuman shriek piercing the air as the frame lost its shape and turned molten in a matter of seconds.

One look at the Phoenix and Ironwood knew without doubt that the worst case scenario was now his most unfortunate reality. Against all odds, someone managed to kill Milo Aurelius, and his heritage brought him back as this creature of death and destruction. He always feared that should the boy die, his memory would be recovered and the boy's fiery glare would come for him.

The General took another step back, "Now Nova, wait just a minute-" The boy's large wings twitched, and he took several heavy steps toward his target. His greeting ignored, the General snapped up his pistol and fired, surprised when the boy dashed to the side using his wings to close a huge distance.

He raised his prosthetic arm in defense, and staggered as the swords clashed against him. They locked for a moment and the rage-filled faunus leaned forward. "I remember _everything_ ," he hissed, his voice vicious and angry.

Before Ironwood could respond, the swordsman shoved him away and spun around, delivering a kick with such force that Ironwood flew back, smashing clean through one of the warehouse walls. Structurally weak, the building began to crumble. It collapsed in a billowing cloud of smoke and dust just as the avian flew from the hole in the ceiling. As soon as he eyed the General running from the wreckage, he dove.

The battle was intense. Ironwood was a veteran and a formidable Huntsman, but Nova was younger, stronger, and far quicker than the old man could ever dream of being. Before long, the General was panting from the strain.

He managed to shove the young man back with a hard punch to create space and get his bearings before the onslaught could begin again. Out of the corner of his eye, Ironwood noticed an audience of soldiers and Huntsmen with uneasy and confused looks, unsure if Ironwood was responsible for the destructive robots and hesitant to intervene.

A hard knee from Nova smashed into Ironwood's stomach, making him gasp for air, then reel back from a slash meant to cleave him shoulder to hip. The blade pierced what remained of the General's aura, and sliced clean through the white uniform on the right side.

Ironwood felt the searing hot, razor sharp blade scrape against his chest, just barely too light to break the skin. Fear seized his heart, pounding in his chest because of how close death had almost claimed him.

He grit his teeth, knowing that he had to turn the tide somehow. He faked a dash forward, making the young faunus flinch and buy the General a few moments. He tossed the pistol into his right hand and pulled a grenade from his back pocket, priming it behind his back. When Nova charged again, lunging for Ironwood's heart, the Huntsman deflected the stab to the right and kicked the boy past him, tossing the grenade in his direction.

Nova whirled around to a familiar sight; a grenade bouncing off the ground a few feet in front of him. With a bellowing war-cry he bat the grenade back at Ironwood using the flat of his blade. The explosive whistled past the General's ear, and he dove forward as it exploded, throwing him straight into his opponent.

The sword was thrust forward, piercing through Ironwood's prosthetic arm and twisted. The sound of screeching metal and sparking wires made the old Headmaster grimace as his arm fell limp, useless at his side. He jabbed with his left, throwing the young man away to try and figure out what to do next. This time, Nova kept his distance.

The General considered his options: He couldn't run because of the faunus' newfound ability to fly, he couldn't fight with only one functional arm, and he certainly couldn't talk his way out of this with someone like Nova. The only things left are to call for aid from his soldiers currently observing them, likely ending with their demise at Nova's hands, or he could continue fighting and hope for a lucky blow to land.

These were not good options.

Ironwood scowled at Nova, expecting a mocking grin. Instead, the young man was slowly circling the object of his disdain with a glare that burned into Ironwood's soul.

The fear returned and he knew that this was it. This is the day he was going to die, by the hands of his own creation, no less.

It felt so _wrong_.

He wanted to save the world, give humanity its one chance to see victory in these dark times of war and death. Instead, he will likely be accused of bringing down an entire kingdom.

As Nova raised his weapon to deal the final blow, Ironwood hoped that maybe Nova would eventually hold true and do what he was meant to do.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the sting of hot steel, to accept the cold embrace of death.

A clash of swords and a grunt made Ironwood look up, and he saw the bright white of an Atlas uniform with the soldier's back turned, and snow-white hair in a tight bun behind her head. "Enough!" she declared, sword raised in Nova's direction.

"Get out of my way," he growled.

Winter stood firm, stubbornly planting herself between Nova and Ironwood. "Your point has been made, now it's time for you to stop."

He stared blankly at the Schnee, anger and rage still prevalent in his mind, but for whatever reason, he sheathed his swords. His golden eyes flared for a moment as he looked back at Ironwood. "One day, the consequences of your actions will catch up to you, General." At that, his wings spread wide and he leaped into the air, disappearing over the buildings.

* * *

Jaune's breathing was heavy, and his voice hoarse from all the commands he had given during the evacuation. He coordinated with other team leaders to create a boundary against the Grimm while the older huntsmen fought the White Fang. As time passed, they slowly retreated toward the docks, where dozens of ships were waiting to accept the escaping populace of Vale.

It was hard to keep track of everyone, and somewhere along the way both Blake and Yang disappeared. He knew they could take care of each other though, so his focus had to stay on the priority of getting the people out of the city alive.

It was by far the most difficult task he'd ever attempted, establishing runners for communication because of the destroyed Vale Communications Tower, keeping the other teams spread out, and adjusting their movement according to the focus of the Grimm incursion.

It took hours, but eventually the majority of the citizens of Vale were a safe distance from the Kingdom. The last few airships lowered to the pier as the huntsmen did everything in their power to hold the Grimm back long enough for the rest of them to get away safely. As the last teams of academy students boarded the transports, Jaune turned away from the ship and moved back into the battle with Pyrrha right behind him, refusing to leave his side.

A gray-haired Huntsman with a number of old scars stopped them before they re-entered the fray, "You've done enough kids, let us handle the rest."

"You won't all get out without coordinating an escape," the young man insisted. "I'll have four Bullhead pilots hover above the landing to shoot Grimm so you can all board, and we'll all cover the retreat."

The old huntsman's eyebrows raised, then he slowly nodded. "Very well, but you must stay out of the fighting. You kids are the future of Remnant." He turned to his fellow Huntsmen and barked out orders as he charged back into the fray, while Jaune ran to the edge of the pier and waved down a Bullhead, informing the craft of his plan.

Less than twenty minutes later every Huntsman and Huntress was safely aboard a transport, watching remorsefully as the burning city of Vale fell over the horizon.

* * *

 _ **A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.**_

 **-Proverbs 25:28**


	13. Confrontation

The Fall Project

From Ashes: Part 1 Finale

Confrontation

* * *

Mistral was chosen as the rendezvous point for the refugees. It was the closest and at the moment could provide enough security and supplies for an extra kingdom worth of people. The position was ideal as well, with Atlas nearby setting up a safe trade ship route should be relatively simple.

Professors Port and Glynda were sent ahead as representatives while the transports landed along the northeastern coast to refuel before crossing the sea. They made sure to inform anyone there that Vale was no longer occupied and there may not be any support for some time. Many joined the refugees, fearful of their safety.

In one of the many small conference rooms built into the dozens of military craft, Ironwood, Winter, and Ozpin were meeting together to figure out how to locate a particular avian faunus. The rooms were cramped because of the limits on an airship's size and weight, but were still large enough for half a dozen people. The lights were low, and all electronics and miscellaneous gadgets were deactivated to preserve power.

Ironwood was in a bit of a rage, fussing over the fact that Nova attacked him. "Can't you see that he would've gotten away with it, Oz? If he killed me no one would've questioned him, and simply written me off as the one responsible for the robots' malfunction."

"You will be held accountable for that malfunction either way," Ozpin remarked. "That alone is enough for a court martial with a full investigation from the Council."

He shook his head, "They wouldn't remove me from my position. I'm the only one prepared enough to lead the armies of Atlas. Still… It's likely that there will be some restrictions."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed, knowing that many of the General's crimes would go overlooked.

James started to pace the room as he considered where Nova may have been since he escaped the Special Forces. "Somehow someone managed to kill him... and he must have joined the White Fang after recovering his memories. With someone like Nova, they will be more formidable than ever before." He lifted a primitive version of a prosthetic arm to scratch his head and sighed deeply, "He knows so much about Atlas..."

Professor Ozpin furrowed his brow. "James, don't worry so much. Since the beginning of the school year he's been at Beacon as a first year student."

The General's eyes widened with disbelief, "He _what?!_ You were hiding him with your students? Are you insane?! You know full well his capabilities, Ozpin." his frustration was evident, with gritting teeth and desperation in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me? How did you even find out about him?"

The Professor interlaced his fingers as he considered how to answer best. "Qrow brought him to me. Where _he_ learned of Milo is a mystery to me but I can assure you we've had the boy's best interest at heart and have been keeping a close eye on him since day one."

Ironwood raged, blurting out several expletives as he slammed his fist into the metal wall. No one noticed Winter's nervous bead of sweat as Qrow's unknown source was mentioned. Ironwood turned back to the old professor, his mouth pressed in a firm line, "Do you have any idea what you've done, what that boy means to the world? I did what I had to for the sake of Remnant, and you stole that from me!"

As the General finished the sentence with a raised voice, Ozpin stood and slammed the tip of his cane on the ground, spraying bright sparks around the room. The room seemed to darken and his voice echoed far more deeply than it should. "You stole him from his home, tore away the memory of the young woman he loved!" The light returned to normal as he calmly sat, leaving the two Atlesians in stunned silence.

Ozpin took several gulps from his coffee mug, and gently placed it on the table. "I did what I could to give him a purpose when he had no one to guide him. I still believe that he should be on the right path, but first we must find him and make sure that he calms down before his anger drives him into doing something rash."

"Like trying to kill me," Ironwood remarked. "What's to say if he won't try again? Don't you know that he was probably the one who destroyed the school?"

"He was not," Ozpin said sternly and shook his head. "One of my best students, Jaune, was in the coliseum. He told me there was an Atlas superweapon in the lower floors, and Nova used his semblance to turn the heat into light. He saved everyone in the coliseum, as well as countless more that would've died if the arena fell onto the city."

Ironwood paled as he remembered the missing weapons that he had given to the Schnee Dust company with orders to transport them to Vale. He felt sick to his stomach, knowing that a Huntsman Academy had been destroyed because of his misplaced faith in machines.

Ozpin sighed. "When he was brought to me, Nova was a nervous, confused, paranoid young man. But his stay at Beacon has changed him entirely," the Headmaster said while opening his palms, vouching for the avian. "He is now completely trusting of his closest friends, and knows what it means to be a true Huntsman. In less than six months, he has saved the lives of Pyrrha Nikos, all of Team CFVY, and countless others when he sacrificed himself to stop the explosion."

Ironwood shook his head. "He presented his true colors when he tried to kill me."

Ozpin was clearly frustrated with the General. "The demons you created came back to haunt you, James. You're lucky to have someone like Winter to pull you out of the fire at the last second."

"And who's to stop him if he tries again?! He could have cut through her in half a second!" Ironwood froze for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Why would he listen to you, anyway?"

She hesitated for the slightest moment. "I don't know, sir. Perhaps he was coming to his senses and only needed someone to intervene."

He grit his teeth at her response. "You were supposed to find him, and here he was. You told me that you checked Beacon," he voiced with an accusatory tone.

Ozpin interjected, "I went through great lengths to-" Before he could finish his answer about protecting Nova, the meeting room door opened with a hiss as Pyrrha stepped into the room. Ozpin gestured for her to sit and she obeyed without a word, clearly nervous.

The old professor gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm proud of you all, Pyrrha. The citizens of Vale are in your debt."

"Thank you, Professor," the young huntress returned the smile, which faded as she redirected the praise toward another, "but it was Jaune who told us what to do. He deserves most of the credit."

Ozpin nodded and leaned on his cane. "Do you know why we called you here?"

Pyrrha paused for a moment, taking a glance at General Ironwood. She seemed to nervously fidget and shrink into her chair, "Is it because of... Nova?"

"Smart girl," James said as he crossed his arms. "If you have any idea where he went we need to-"

Ozpin gave the man a glare that commanded silence, then turned his focus back on the red-headed champion. He placed a tattered black notebook on the desk in front of her, "Bart found this in CMSN's room when we were trying to figure out where he might have gone." She looked up at him with a confused glance and he gestured for her to open it.

When she turned the first page, she couldn't stop the blush on her cheeks, nor the feeling of her heart plummeting deep into her chest. It was a highly-detailed picture of her, merely drawn in pencil but still a nearly flawless depiction of a younger version of herself. There was a small bit of scenery in the background, some trees and rays of sunlight.

"I believe that he was getting glimpses of you in past memories," Ozpin said in a low, serious voice. "Perhaps he drew them to help in recovering those memories."

She recognized the picture, one of the first times she started to see the young man as more than just a friend. As she flipped through the pages, she recalled each and every moment of Milo's drawings. She envisioned those moments frozen in time, fighting when they were children, sparring when they started receiving actual training, and the growing intimacy in their days at Sanctum.

Pyrrha slapped the notebook shut and released a breath she had been holding, her heart beating furiously in her chest.

Ozpin sighed, seeing her turmoil. "Before the attack, did you know that he was actually Milo?"

"Yes."

"And did you approach him?"

Slowly, she shook her head.

"...I see," he said while leaning back in his chair. That… was both unexpected, and it _certainly_ complicated things. Still, she is one of the few that could be of assistance to them. "We need your help to find him, Pyrrha. You know him better than anyone else on Remnant. So can you think of someplace he might have gone?"

She considered the question carefully, rubbing her eyes clear and taking a deep breath. "There was a spot in Forever Fall that he liked, up in a tall tree next to a large lake."

Winter shook her head and chimed in for the first time since the start of the meeting. "Atlas checked the entire surrounding area and no trace of him was found. He left Vale entirely."

"Then… Did you check with Yang? She and Nova were pretty close during school."

Ozpin shook his head. "Miss Xiao Long is still recovering from her injury. Last I heard, she was very… sensitive on the topic of Nova. He has not visited her since the attack."

Pyrrha bit her lip, uncertain. Where would Nova Chrysus go? "Maybe he would've gone to Vacuo? He's good at hiding, so I'm sure it would be an easy place for him to lay low for awhile."

"I don't think he would go there," Winter said, shutting down the idea again. "The last stand of Artemis was at the Battle of Burning Plains in Vacuo. Because of her fervor in battle, Oasis Academy has a statue of her in their courtyard. Everyone there would recognize an avian faunus, so if even one person saw Nova's wings the rumor would spread like wildfire."

Pyrrha sighed. Mistral would be simple enough for him to disappear, but where would he go from there? "I don't know..." She finally said, averting her eyes from the professor.

"You can't just say 'I don't know,'" Ironwood interrupted, showing his obsession of the young faunus. "This is too important to-"

"James, you have done quite enough," Ozpin warned, stopping him with a raised hand. He looked back at Pyrrha, giving a reassuring smile. If she didn't already know, then at this time there was no need for her to find out how Milo disappeared. For now, they needed her co-operation.

Her eyes were downcast and apologetic as she failed to come up with some useful information. "I don't know where he would've gone, Professor. I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright, Miss Nikos. Thank you for your assistance," Ozpin concluded, seeing her safely out the door. Before letting her go, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Should anything come to mind, you must come to me directly. Do you understand?"

She nodded and excused herself, but still felt duty-bound to come up with some idea of the young man's location. Even as she left the boarding ramp of the airship, she was still wracking her brain for ideas.

Thankfully, Jaune was waiting for her outside and asked why they had summoned her. She quickly explained the situation, saying that they were looking for Nova and thought she might know where on Remnant he had gone.

"Do you know where he might go? I can't think of anywhere he would want to go…" she said dejectedly.

Jaune let out a defeated sigh. He knew the love they shared back then. Who was he to get in the way of that? "He was just brought back to life, Pyrrha. His memories are back and his body is whole. Right now, he must be feeling incredibly overwhelmed by everything, so the question isn't, 'where would Nova go.' The real question you need to ask yourself is, 'where would _Milo_ go?'"

She shook her head in confusion. "How does that change anything? I don't understand."

"Pyrrha, from what I've heard, he just re-lived the loss of his family, right? No one knew Milo better than you, so if anyone knows where he would go, it's you."

She blinked, knowing that Jaune was right. Visions of the past came to light…. A young boy pouting, pleading for her and Milo to let him fight with them. Thinking of Milo's fallen family, an idea surfaced. "I think I might know where he is."

* * *

For Mistral, winter was the rainy season. The day was bleak, with the sky overcast by gray clouds that showered the land for days on end. Pyrrha trudged forward on a beaten path through the forest, one all too familiar to the young huntress. The cold rain tapped against the shield on her back and lightly pattered against the hood of her raincoat.

She didn't tell anyone where she was going and took care to ensure she wasn't being followed. If she led Ironwood to him, Nova might not ever trust her again.

The path through the forest opened into a meadow, where dozens of gravestones littered the clearing. The area was kept trimmed and clean out of respect for the lost, though time had withered away at some, leaving words faded and monuments cracked. Many of the old graves bore the mark of a sheathed sword, a symbol of honor for those who fell during the Great War. The light rain, coupled with a thin layer of drifting fog, gave Cemetery an air of bitter gloom.

Nova stood with his back to her. His wings hung low, nearly touching the ground as he stared at five gravestones in front of him. They belonged to his family. The oldest grave belonged to his blood mother, Angela, who died moments after Milo's birth. The rest were nearly three years old, and held the remains of his brother Akouo, his father Marcus, and his step-mother Vivian. The last was his own.

She quietly walked up behind him and removed her hood, "Nova?"

"It's me, Nikki," he replied, "It's Milo." He pointed at the fifth grave, staring blankly at the name carved into the dark stone. "It's me." Her mouth hung open for a moment, the words stolen away

"H-How are you feeling?" she asked, hesitating because of his odd behavior.

Milo breathed deep, taking in the scent of the cool rain and the wet forest. "I feel powerful. I can see everything with both eyes, my wings are strong and agile, and my semblance has never been stronger." He released his breath and looked to her with concern. "It scares me."

"Scares you? Why?" she questioned.

"Because I'm so… _angry._ I need to control it before I end up hurting someone I care about." She nodded while silence permeated the cemetery once again. The rain drizzled against the cold stone of each grave, giving each one a glossy sheen.

"Did you come to my funeral?" He questioned as his head swiveled in her direction. Still unsure of how to respond, Pyrrha said nothing, but her eyes spoke of her torment that fateful day. He turned back to the gravestone, giving a slight sigh. "Of course you did."

She had rehearsed the conversation countless times in her head, but suddenly she felt skittish and nervous. How was she supposed to speak to the young man after everything that happened? Mustering her courage, she took a chilling breath.

"I watched them bury you."

The statement was sincere... and carried the weight of all the pain she bared over the years. Milo's wings pulled in slightly, a cringe that he tried to hide and bury with the guilt he felt for not being there for her.

Her brow furrowed as the questions rose in her mind, "What happened? Why didn't you come to me after the accident?"

Milo's wings twitched and his fists clenched with rage as the hatred filled him again. "Ironwood happened," he growled through his teeth, "He took me to Atlas and erased my memory. He filled my head with lies and turned me into a puppet. I want to rip him apart for everything he's done."

Pyrrha bit her lip, and shivered as the cold rain traced its way down the strands of her long hair and streamed down her back. Or perhaps it wasn't the rain. "So you attacked him? That doesn't solve anything, Milo." She paused as he snapped around and gave her a look of surprise. "Look, Professor Ozpin is worried about you. Please go to him. He can help you figure things out with General Ironwood."

He turned to face her now, his wings lifting so they wouldn't drag across the muddy ground. "Oh, so Ozpin used you to find me? To bring me in like I'm a fugitive? What crime did I commit? You weren't there, Pyrrha. I will _never_ forgive Ironwood!" He took a few steps toward her, eyebrows furrowed in a steely glare. "Do you fully grasp the extent of what he did to the both of us?"

"Yes, I do," she stated. "He changed us forever."

"He ruined our lives, Pyrrha!"

"Maybe!" she shouted back, immediately biting her tongue as her heart pounded and her face reddened as the truth slowly came to light. "But don't make things worse. Turn yourself in before you become an enemy of the military and end up in prison."

Milo's eyes flared bright gold, then dimmed as he released a heavy breath. His shoulders and wings slouched and Pyrrha saw something extremely rare in the young man she had known for so many years.

He looked defeated.

With a long sigh, he faced her once more, diverting the subject to questions of his own. "How long did you know it was me behind the mask?"

Knowing that there was no more hiding, Pyrrha swallowed her nerves. "Ever since you came back with Team CFVY."

"Did you think I remembered, but was avoiding you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because..." Pyrrha's heart seized and her mouth froze. The truth would hurt him... and how could she do that to someone she cared about for so long? As she began to consider how to avoid telling him everything, she realized that he knew her far too well. Milo would see straight through her evasive responses and find the truth whether she wanted him to or not.

She gave in, taking a deep breath. "Because you were dead. I had to move on, or the pain would've destroyed me." She saw the look of despair grow in his eyes as she spoke, tearing what remained of her mending heart to ribbons. "I thought it was better that you didn't remember."

" _Better?!_ " he spat, "Even after everything we've done together you would just-" He froze as his wings suddenly flickered slight with fire. He hissed through his teeth to calm down. "What changed?"

"I _buried_ you, Milo. You were everything to me and I had to bury you." She hesitated, trying to explain, "Something like that changes you forever."

"I didn't want it to happen any more than you, Pyrrha. And it's not like I had a choice in the matter," he growled. "The decision was made for me!"

"I'm sorry." Pyrrha wanted to say that it was okay, that everything could go back to normal, but she couldn't lie to him. She forced her eyes downward, the guilt making it impossible to look him in the eyes.

He turned away and let go let go of his frustration, letting himself ask the most difficult question thus far. "Why Jaune? Of all the people, why him? He's hardly worthy of any Huntress, let alone someone like you."

It only took a heartbeat for her to come up with an answer. "I chose Jaune because I didn't want to be with anyone that reminded me of you."

The words pierced through him with every syllable. He felt as though his heart would stop beating. "You wanted to forget about me? Huh? Forget I existed?!" He nearly shouted at her, his anger no longer able to be contained.

"No. You are not understanding my reasoning," she said with sincerity. "I didn't want a replacement, some replica that looked like you; that moved like you; that fought and won like you. There is only one Milo Aurelius. And I couldn't have him because he was in a grave."

Milo was left stunned, his heart crushed and his life decimated all over again. When he peered back at her, he took in all that he could. From her bright emerald eyes to her fiery-red hair, the seriousness in her stance, and the kindness in her heart. He knew this would be the last chance to see her as more than a companion, so he would be sure to remember everything.

"That's how it is, then?" he rhetorically asked, taking a few steps closer.

Pyrrha couldn't help but feel terrible. She of all people knew what it was like to lose someone so important to her, but their relationship was in a cherished past, where it needed to stay.

"I didn't think-mph!" Her body tensed as pulled her in and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Her heart lurched, feeling shocks of electricity through her veins from the passionate, stolen kiss. After only a few moments he pulled away, just as her mind began to register the contact.

With the kiss came a flood of memories that scrambled Pyrrha's thoughts, leaving her stammering and stumbling over her words, "I-You can't… I-I-I'm with Jaune now."

He backed away, but only slightly. All he wanted to do in that moment was to kiss her again; to say words that would keep her his. But the ache in his heart told him it was too late. "Go. Go be with your sidekick," he growled as his wings spread wide, preparing to leave.

"Please, go to Ozpin. He's in Mistral," she pleaded, but he ignored her request.

"Milo, wait-"

"Milo is dead," he interrupted, the pain he was feeling clear in his voice. "Like you said, it's better that way," he hissed and leaped into the air, vanishing through the falling rain.

Pyrrha licked her lips, remembering the familiar taste, her heart still pounding a million beats a second. The lingering ghost of Milo's final kiss haunted her with bittersweet images of the days past, bringing forward memories that had long since been blanketed by grief.

And yet, she didn't feel the urge to turn and go after him. She wiped her lips and lifted her hood, starting the long walk back to the Kingdom of Mistral.

There was a sense of closure in telling Milo the truth about her and Jaune, that she was sorry about what happened but at the same time, things could never return to the way they were. Eventually, perhaps he would learn to move forward as well.

* * *

" _ **And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."**_

 **-John 8:32**

* * *

 **This concludes part 1 of The Fall Project.**

 **I'd like to thank everyone for your support so far. :) I know I don't update very often, but rest assured that I plan to continue writing this story all the way to the finish. Anyway thanks again, and please remember to favorite/follow and review. I'd love to hear from you!**

 **Join our favorite young Huntsmen and Huntresses in The Fall Project: Part 2...**

 **War.**


	14. The Angel of Vale

The Fall Project

Part 2: War

The Angel of Vale

* * *

The people of Vale were not adjusting well to their new homes. It was to be expected, that so many people would have difficulty adjusting from the convenience of civilization to poverty. It took the combined effort of Mistral and Vale to build something for the vast number of refugees.

Establishing food and shelter was an arduous task to say the least. The entire population banded together to quickly build hundreds of temporary homes around the city, establish food lines, and the Beacon staff took it upon themselves to ensure that the more unsavory characters of Mistral stayed away from the people of Vale.

It was a somber start to a long future, but many were willing to help. Teams RWBY, CMSN, and JNPR were often found helping the citizens of Vale build homes and distribute food and water. Save for Milo, who was still nowhere to be found even after a week had passed, and save for Yang, who was currently resting at the Mistral Xiao Long residence, little more than a hotel for a roaming Huntsman.

She sat at the window for days, staring blankly into the distance, and did little more than what her basic needs demanded. The hospital stitched up her arm, making sure that it wouldn't become infected, then sent her away because of more urgent injuries they needed to attend to. Losing a limb and witnessing the atrocities of the attack on Vale left her feeling helpless. The doctors told the team that she was suffering from depression and recommended medication, but the hot-headed blonde refused. They visit often, hoping for her to come to her senses soon.

But today was no better than the others. As the team piled into the room, bringing good news about the Vale refugees, or anything they thought might cheer her up. Weiss even brought her favorite drink, a Strawberry Sunrise, in a hope that it might cheer her up. Instead, she set the drink down and sighed dejectedly, thanking the heiress for the gesture.

It was sad to see her so distant, so… quiet.

Some of them may not have fully understood her melancholy, but Ruby knew exactly why she was so down. Losing her arm took a toll on her confidence, but some would say that Nova had come to be her best friend. The red reaper wasn't exactly a social butterfly, but she knew her big sister well. Because of Yang's reaction to his absence, it was pretty clear that her feelings went beyond a simple friendship. She felt abandoned by him, and that cut deeper than any blade ever could.

While Ruby didn't have any news of his whereabouts, she did hear a few things about him. Hoping to cheer Yang up at least a little, she clasped her hands and smiled. "Remember how I used to ask for bedtime stories?"

The blonde turned, giving her a perplexed glance and a raised eyebrow, then nodded.

"Well," the red reaper started, "I heard a really good one from one of the people from Vale." Yang huffed and rolled her eyes, but the young huntress continued nonetheless. "It started with a little girl who was hiding her face, huddled in close with her mother. All around her hundreds of people fought to get on the escape ship, panicking because of the disaster at Amity Coliseum. Every crack of a weapon made the girl flinch, every howl of a Bullhead's engines hurt her ears."

"They finally got onto the airship, her mother telling her 'Everything will be okay now, honey. We're safe.'" Now she had gained the attention of the entire room, giving her the motivation to press further. "Suddenly, the ship lurched to the side as a flock of Griffins latched on, clawing their way through the metal like tinfoil! The girl screamed and her mother shielded her as the monsters crawled into the cabin and attacked the citizens who had nowhere left to run."

"A bright flash of heavenly fire burned the monsters away. At the gaping hole of the ship an angel stood, his hand raised against the burning tide of creatures..." Yang turned and stared at Ruby with wide eyes and eyebrows slightly furrowed, thinking that there could only be one person she was referring to.

"But there were too many," the young huntress continued with a sad tone. "One of the Grimm managed to snatch the girl's collar and tried to tear her from her mother's grip, then was pulverized by a sweep of the angel's sword. The Griffin fell from the airship and pulled them both into a plummeting free fall down on the city of Vale."

Ruby felt the tension of the group in the air, their imaginations running wild. "Only moments before the hard ground reached them they were both caught by the angel, who carried them both to another transport, far from harm. The girl hugged him while the mother spoke to him; 'We could never repay you… Thank you.' The angel simply nodded, then flew off toward the battle once more." Everyone relaxed their shoulders and let out breaths they had been holding, then waited for Yang to respond to Ruby's tale. Unfortunately, she had gone back to staring out of the window, making ruby sigh.

"Did… he actually do that?" The blonde asked quietly, peering over at her sister with the corner of her eye.

Ruby nodded and gave Yang a smile. "People are calling him 'The Angel of Vale.'"

"Pretentious bastard," she chuckled, wiping the swelling water from her eyes. "Has anyone seen him?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

The red-hooded reaper shook her head with a frown, "No, but maybe he's out saving more people, like he did in Vale."

"I seriously doubt he's helping anyone. After destroying those robots he att-" Blake started, but caught her tongue before saying any more. Considering how sensitive of a topic this was for Yang, it probably wasn't a good idea to involve her.

Yang went wide-eyed, glaring at the young faunus in a way that made Blake want to shrink and disappear. "He _what_?"

Weiss stepped in, trying to make sure that Yang's temper wasn't directed at Blake. "He attacked General Ironwood. We're all supposed to tell him if Nova comes back."

"If he attacked the General, he had a damn good reason for it," the blonde said coldly, then turned away, her angry and depressed state taking shape once again. "Why isn't he _here_?" she asked no one in particular, staring at nothing through the window. For days, she had been wracking her brain for a reason that he would avoid them all, but nothing… No. There was one thing, but she didn't know for sure.

Jaune looked at Pyrrha, an unspoken question in his eyes. She nodded, so he stood to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, there's something that you all should know about our avian friend..." the young leader began. He quickly explained Nova's amnesia, saying that he had little memory of everything that happened before an incident that took his family. The group followed the story well enough, staying quietly attentive as he unfolded the truth of Nova's identity.

"When he… 'woke up.'" Jaune paused, considering his words carefully. "His amnesia was cured, the same as his body. He realized and remembered who he was; his real name is Milo Aurelius."

The young man then turned to Pyrrha, allowing her to tell them the most critical piece of the story; the true reason why their friend was nowhere to be found.

She gulped because of the anticipation and cleared her throat before speaking. "It's been a few years, but he and I were close..." An exasperated sigh hissed through her teeth as she shook her head. Now wasn't the time to hide things. "We were _very_ close. With Jaune's help I figured out where he would go at a time like this so I went and spoke with him a few days ago."

Yang flashed an incredulous look at the champion, a hundred questions sprouting in her mind, but she didn't feel like talking just yet and waited for Pyrrha to finish.

"I told him that..." She hesitated, her cheeks turning bright red. "Well I told him that what we had was lost, that I had to move on because I thought he was dead. After that he left and didn't tell me where he was going." Silence filled the room when Pyrrha finished speaking, all of them waiting for Yang's response.

" _What?!_ " The blonde glared at Pyrrha, clear frustration on her face as her brow furrowed and her face and eyes burned red with anger. Her mouth flew open, words forming before her brain had time to process them. "How could you not figure out who he was? You saw him without his mask plenty of times!" She blinked as the realization dawned on her, then grit her teeth, "You _did_ know it was him... and you didn't tell him!? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I didn't make the decision lightly, Yang. Please understand-"

"No, YOU understand! He should have helped us during the attack on Vale! He should be here, where we need him." The blonde's eyes brimmed with angry tears, but she grit her teeth and willed them not to fall. "If you had just told him who he was and to get over it, he would be here."

"Yang!" Ruby gasped. "It's not Pyrrha's-"

"No, she's right," the redhead interrupted. Her eyes were tired and she wore a solemn expression, lowering her gaze to the floor. "Had I not been so afraid of what he would think, things might have been different."

"Just..." Yang shook her head, waving the others out of the room with her only remaining arm. "Just leave me alone."

They each said their farewells, quietly removing themselves from the tension of the room before going off to eat dinner at Haven. Ruby was the last to leave, turning back to her older sister with a reassuring smile, "He'll come back. He always does."

Yang gazed through the window, realizing for the first time that the leaves of Mistral didn't change color in the fall like in Vale. Here, the branches were thick and the leaves filled the forest canopies. It was a strange world to her, full of uncertainties and mystery. But one thing was completely true; Ruby was right.

She watched from the corner of her eye as the young scythe-wielder left the room. "I know," she said, watching the skies for an angel with golden wings.

* * *

As Ruby caught up with the group, she heard them debating their opinions on their avian comrade. At the moment the twins were defending him, arguing that he had to relive the single most horrible moment in his life.

"He deserves some time on his own after everything he's been through," Gabe explained. "I think that when he comes back, we shouldn't get mad at him for leaving." Mike nodded in agreement.

"Maybe so, but he should know well enough that it is more important to take care of Vale and to stay with his friends," Blake argued.

"Either way, when he comes back we're going to welcome him," Cade said, trying not to take a side. "And we need to thank him for stopping that bomb."

"Speaking of which, what are we supposed to call him now? We know him as Nova, but his real name is Milo, right?" Ruby asked, thinking of his 'resurrection.'

"I have a few things I'd like to call him..." Weiss muttered under her breath and crossed her arms. Several members of the group shook her heads in disapproval, making her huff in defense of her opinion, "What?! Can't you see what he's doing to Yang? If he weren't so self-centered she would probably be back on her feet and fighting already!"

Cade grit his teeth, "Would you all stop blaming him? Don't you all get it, the whole reason why he attacked General Ironwood?" Many of them exchanged glances, uncertain. "He already had issues with the General and based on his reaction, Atlas may have been involved with the death of Milo's family. He must have been there when his family died. On top of that, do any of you think he would sit idly by and watch?"

They all shook their heads.

"Then that means he tried to save them, _and failed_. Someone like him would hate himself for failing, and he hates Ironwood even more for starting the whole thing. As for this attack on Vale and what happened to Yang… None of us knew that any of it would happen, alright? Just… Play with the hand you're dealt, and no more blaming each other."

They fell silent. What Cade said was true; they needed to trust each other now more than ever before. When Milo returned, many of them would be sure to at least thank him for what he did at the coliseum.

Continuing with the previous conversation, Nora tapped her lip with a finger, "Well we all did know him as Nova, maybe he won't mind if we just keep calling him that."

Finally, Pyrrha was the one to put things straight. "He grew up as Milo. Even if he wants to forget everything, that is his true name. He'll accept it better than anything else."

After the unanimous agreement on Milo's name they ate dinner in peace, happily putting the events of the past week behind them.

* * *

Cadence Claret walked quickly through the darkly-lit hallways of an unfamiliar building. Every hundred feet or so held a security checkpoint, with armed guards at either side of each remotely controlled door. 'High Security' was an understatement for a prison like this, one that was built to hold some of the most dangerous criminals in Mistral.

The last few halls he passed through were the most unnerving. A guard accompanied him down the lines of semblance-nullifying cells with a pair of criminals wearing red jumpsuits in each one, giving him spiteful glares as he passed.

One man went so far as to press his face between the bars and grin wide, showing razor-sharp canine teeth. His bright red eyes spoke of insanity and his nostrils flared as he sniffed in Cade's direction, and the young man noticed the wolf ears atop the man's ears perk up in his direction.

"Brother!" The man looked back into the cell at his slightly older, yet similar looking counterpart, clear elation on his face as he frantically pointed at Cade. "He smells like the birdy! He smells like the little birdy!"

"Does he now?" The older man stood and seemed to study the young huntsman. His eyes didn't hold the rabid insanity of his brother, but instead held an inquisitive longing, a carnal desire to learn each and every one of his darkest secrets. Cade could feel the malevolence emanating from the both of them.

Deciding it would be unwise to speak, he pressed forward and ignored any and all interruptions until he finally reached his destination. Two Atlesian soldiers stood at either side of a door, leading into an interrogation room.

Cade fully knew that it could be a trap, set for him to be captured or some other unspeakable horror. But that's why he told his teammates where he was going and who he was meeting. Should he go missing, there would be someone looking for him and more than two hundred witnesses who saw him walking down the halls of the prison.

The guards nodded for him to enter, and a loud buzzing sounded from a speaker above the door, followed by a metallic click. He pulled on the heavy door, feeling a tingling sensation on the back of his neck as he walked into the brightly lit room.

Apparently the interrogation rooms were also semblance-nullifying. That provided a bit of comfort as the nerves made his stomach twist into knots. General Ironwood sat patiently across the table, his expression unreadable. The man's prosthetic had been replaced with a newer, more powerful version, but it seemed to be thicker and more bulky than before.

Cade took a seat across from the man, his heart rate spiking when he considered the last time he'd met the man. Back then, he thanked Cade for his determination, declined his application to Atlas Huntsman academy, and offered him an alternate route into the military. The young Huntsman made a different choice, ultimately leading him here.

"General Ironwood, Sir." Despite Milo's incessant hatred for the man, Cade would always hold respect for someone of his position and authority.

"Mr. Cadence Claret, it's good to see you made it out of Vale in one piece," Ironwood said with a slight smile at the corner of his lips.

Cade noted that his eyes were absent of general concern or happiness for him. "Thank you, sir." He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully to remain respectful. "Excuse me, sir, but I doubt you called me here out of concern for my well being. I may not be the best at what I do, but I guarantee that you will have my best effort. How can I be of service, sir?"

This time, Ironwood smiled for real. "Very well, I require a favor of you. As you can imagine, the past week has been rather trying. A disaster has occurred, and it is up to men like you and I to put these nations back together." He spoke honestly, but Cade felt some underlying motive beneath those words. He was about to be asked to do something he wouldn't like to do.

Intertwining his hands, the General leaned in and looked Cade in the eyes. "I need you to serve as my eyes and ears. You will be required to inform me of any and all movements and activities of Milo, once he comes back."

Cade leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing at the man. "S-Sir?"

He pursed his lips, "I have to attend to things in Atlas, and won't be able to stay here much longer. Besides, you are one of the few people he trusts."

The breath in his lungs seemed to hang still, refusing to fill as he tried to breathe. How could he betray one of his best friends? How could he openly spy on someone he trusted with his life?

Before he could object, Ironwood saw his hesitation. "This is very important, Cadence. Milo is a very dangerous young man. In the wrong hands, he could cause a tremendous amount of trouble for all of Remnant."

Cade blinked, trying to clear his head. He knew that Milo was powerful, but he showed no sign of turning on any of them. The danger Ironwood was speaking of seemed a bit unwarranted. "He was on my team since the beginning, and he hasn't shown any hostility… I'm not so sure he is as dangerous as you say."

General gave him a stern look, "Did he ever talk to you about the missions he undertook when he worked with Atlas? Do you have any idea how many men and women he has killed? He is among a very small handful of soldiers with more than 100 confirmed kills, not including the people he had to silence to keep his existence a secret."

The young man's eyes widened. He had expected some casualties from the missions Milo went on… but more than a _hundred?_ Cade considered the way he held himself at the beginning of the year; a bit twitchy and a lack of trust with anyone outside of his close-knit group of friends. But after a couple months, he really opened up to his fellow Huntsmen-in-training.

Ironwood continued, trying to sway the young man's opinion. "I'm sure you saw the Rosso brothers on the way here, the two wolf faunus. They were captured by Milo last year. Once he tracked them down and defeated them, I was forced to have him subdued because he wanted to kill them. You understand? He _wanted_ to kill them."

CMSN team leader found himself in turmoil, unable to decide between acting with the Headmaster he initially wanted to follow, or siding with his current teammate, who has had an incredibly difficult time in the past week. Collecting his thoughts, he realized that Milo certainly didn't seem like some kind of psychopath, but if Ironwood was this adamant…

No. Something about this just didn't feel right.

Cade shook his head "He's a friend and I can't just… I can't betray him like that, sir."

"I urge you to reconsider," Ironwood said, the hint of a threat in his voice.

Again, the young leader refused. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that."

The General sighed deeply, briefly closing his eyes as he tapped a finger on the table. "I was afraid you would say something like that..." He slowly stood, making Cadence tense up and place a hand on the pommel of his sword. Immediately the combat options began to cycle through his head; the lack of a shield would nearly devastate his chances, but if he blocked the prosthetic with a blade…

As Cade analyzed and planned for combat, Ironwood stepped to the door and tapped three times. The buzzer sounded again and the scrape of metal on metal rang as the young Huntsman partially drew his sword in preparation. What walked through the interrogation room door was the last thing he expected.

Her tri-colored hair was now a mess of unkempt strands, her clothes reduced to the prison red jumpsuit, as compared to the intricate white, pink, and brown clothing she usually wore. What truly set Cade's teeth on edge and filled him with anger was the cold steel around her neck and wrists, connected behind her back with a metal bar to keep her from moving around.

One of the Atlesian guards harshly pushed Neo into the room, holding her in place by the metal bar as she squirmed, trying to wrench herself from the man's grip.

"Neo?" Cade gasped, immediately sheathing his blade and stepping forward.

 _Click._

The young huntsman froze, his hand instinctively falling to the grip of his revolver. He saw Neo's eyes go wide and switch colors as she blinked, staring down the barrel of Ironwood's weapon. She bared her teeth and snarled, glaring at him with hatred and defiance.

Cade's heart quickly rose into his throat, beating faster each second that passed.

"I really didn't want to do this, but I have little choice in the matter," Ironwood said, staring intently at Cade. "You will do as I command, or I will be forced to execute this criminal. Or…" he eyed the young huntsman, a sinister glare in his eyes. "I could save the ammo and just give the Rosso brothers a new cellmate."

The young woman shuddered at his threat and Cade grit his teeth hard, forcing himself not to rip out his pistol and started firing with reckless abandon. This was a horror beyond imagining, realizing too late that Milo was right about the General. He would do anything and everything to see victory and wasn't afraid to play dirty to get his way.

In a blur of motion, Neo suddenly kicked the pistol from Ironwood's grasp. The guard acted quickly, spinning her around and shoving her face-first into the wall. As the soldier raised his fist to strike her, Cade drew his revolver. "Stop!" His heart pounded in his chest, terrified that he may be forced to pull the trigger. The infusion crystals quickly began to glow, illuminating the room with a dark red hue.

The General waved for the guard to step back, and they both raised their hands in surrender. Neo scrambled over to Cade, partially hiding behind the young Huntsman's much larger frame, and glaring hatefully at the two Atlesians.

"That's a rare weapon you're holding Cadence," Ironwood stated with his mouth pressed in a firm line, clearly recognizing the illegal revolver. "What will you do with it now?"

Cade thought carefully, making sure to keep the two Atlesians in his sights. If he were to go out fighting, ultimately he would lose. He only had six shots, a sword, and no shield to fight his way through an entire prison filled with highly-trained guards.

He realized that even though he was the one holding a weapon, he had no actual say in the matter. Nonetheless, he held his aim steady. "I'll do it, but Neo will be cleared of all charges and safely released. That is my only condition," Cade finished, lowering his pistol.

The General couldn't hide the smile that curled at the corners of his mouth. "Accepted. Corporal?" The soldier gave Ironwood a stunned glance, but complied. He pressed a series of buttons on his wristpad, making Neo's harness sound a beep and release. She swiftly tore the clamps off, flinging them away as if they were toxic.

"Be careful with her, Cadence. She's a killer,"

Ironwood taunted. Ignoring him, Cade immediately took his leave, tugging Neo out of the room before she created a bloodbath. The remaining guard accompanied them down the hall they came from, toward the evidence room so Neo could collect her things.

They were greeted once again by the unsettling red eyes of a wolf faunus, an eerie grin on the man's face as he sniffed the air. "I smell ice cream," the man drooled, his eyes gleaming with horrid eagerness. Neo slammed a boot down on his fingers, hearing a sickeningly satisfying crunch as he yelped in pain and cradled his hand. The woman drew a finger across her neck in their direction, a promise of what would happen if they were to ever come near her. They both then turned and left the prison as quickly as they could.

"I want ice cream," the brother whimpered, gingerly cradling his fractured fingers. "I want the ice-cream girl!" he hissed in anger.

The eldest brother grinned and bared his fangs, a sinister gleam in his eyes and a smirk growing on his cracked lips. "In time, brother. War is coming and when it does, chaos shall set us free."

* * *

A large duffel bag was dropped on the ground in front of Neo and Cade and the young woman immediately tore into its contents, searching furiously for her parasol. Once she found it, she quickly opened it to check for damage, letting out a long sigh of relief as she found it in perfect working order.

Cade waited patiently as she sorted out the rest of the items, taking notice when she seemed to tense up and lifted a tattered bowler hat. It seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't quite think of where he'd seen it before.

Neo stared at the hat, her face contorted into a grimace as her shoulders shook.

It wasn't until the tears began to fall that he realized it had belonged to Roman Torchwick. The young huntsman sighed and wrapped an arm around the young woman, who turned and clung to him, silently weeping into his chest.

Who else did she have? Was it only Torchwick, or was there someone else that can take care of her? Cade sighed, knowing the answers before he asked them. Neo was alone.

He piled her belongings into the duffel bag and zipped it shut, slinging it over his shoulder. Seeing that Neo was still sobbing, he lifted her up in his arms to carry her home. He told her everything would be okay, that she would be safe, but nothing could calm the swirling tempest of grief and raw emotion that plagued her. He hated to see anyone like this, but he promised himself that he would be there for her.

Ironwood's threats filled his mind, and an idea formed in his head. _He_ could take care of her. It wouldn't matter that she used to be on the wrong side if she doesn't fight for them anymore, and if he could convince the others, she could easily join their entourage.

"Do you trust me?" he asked with a smile.

She pulled back and looked deeply into his eyes, sniffling and blinking away the tears. Slowly, she nodded.

"Then stay here with me."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide in surprise. For several long moments he thought that he made a terrible mistake… until her mismatched eyes began brightening to light shades of pink.

Neo smiled wide and hugged him tighter, knowing that she wouldn't have to be alone after all.

* * *

Cinder sprinted through the halls of The Summit, running as fast as her legs could carry her. Her heart pounding and her breathing heavy, fear choked her lungs. Salem had summoned her a day before, but the old witch was very, _very_ angry.

Considering the resounding success of the assault on Vale, Cinder couldn't imagine a reason for her to be so enraged. By the tone of the message her anger wasn't necessarily directed at the young woman, but still… She had seen Salem's wrath once before and wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone, not even her most hated enemies.

As she came to the massive set of double doors they were flung open by shadowy fingers, the loud click of Salem's heels against the cold stone echoed down the long halls. Her red eyes were wide and her brows furrowed in frustration. "Where have you been? The Legions of Mistral are falling by the thousands!"

Cinder swallowed a spiteful retort, deciding instead to be the level head in this situation. "How are they being killed so quickly? Are the Huntsmen focusing on Mistral?"

Salem shook her head, "There is only one." She closed her eyes, envisioning the young faunus that cleaved through her armies as if they were common animals. "A lost boy that has turned out to be far more powerful than I anticipated." A few moments passed as the familiarity dawned on her and she hissed at Cinder with rage. "He is the boy you wanted to recruit, isn't he?"

Cinder nodded, her chest filling with a sense of gratification and pride; She had proven the Witch wrong. "Yes, his name is Nova."

"He killed Conquest!" she hissed, black magic starting to swirl around her as raw emotion made manifest, darkening the room and bringing a chill to the air. "Famine fell in Kuroyuri, and now only War and Death remain." Salem scowled at the young woman, rage filling her eyes. "My four Horsemen were made to counter the Maidens, and if this boy is strong enough to take them down, then I want him dealt with!"

"What do you need me to do?" Cinder asked.

"He has been fighting in northwestern Mistral. You will find this boy and when you do, make him yours or kill him, I don't care which! We have little time and I cannot afford to lose another Lieutenant this quickly."

"Consider it done," Cinder bowed, feeling the power of the Fall Maiden rise into her chest. Her newly-found strength was formidable, but extremely difficult to control. It would take a large amount of time to learn how to properly use it, but for now the raw power seemed to be sufficient. She left The Summit with a brisk pace, eager to leave the bleak castle and hunt down a possible new follower.

It took her a few days to make it to the Mistral mainland, so she took a few moments to rest and learn what she could about the young Huntsman she needed to track.

Apparently, Adam had already taken an interest in the young man and gathered a significant amount of information about him. As it turned out, he was actually an avian faunus, most likely the only remaining one in existence. During the attack on Vale he somehow regenerated his missing wings and started wreaking havoc on Adam's men. What's more, 'Nova Chrysus' wasn't even his real name. As it turned out he was from Mistral, a boy named…

 _Milo Aurelius._

Her entire outlook on the situation changed immediately, and finding him became her complete obsession. Once she did, there would be questions that needed answering.

She moved west, following the scarred and burned forests of northwestern continent of Mistral, but he was difficult to track because of his ability to fly. Often times the only evidence of him would be a large area of forest completely reduced to ashes and dust, making it appear as though he was flying from place to place, attracting masses of Grimm and slaughtering them all with unbridled fury.

It took her an entire week, but eventually she did succeed in catching up with Milo.

He was a blur of motion, tearing apart a group of stampeding Boarbatusks as they bowled through the thick trees of the forest. He spun and slashed, dashing and hacking through the ocean of fur and bone. His wings burned with angry flame and with a beat of his wings a group of Grimm were consumed in a fiery conflagration.

He was rage and wrath given form.

She approached carefully, knowing that attempting stealth would only end with blood. As she neared, he finished off the remaining Boars and stood tall, sheathing his weapons with a fluid motion. He remained still, taking the time to recover his breath and prepare for the flight to the next forest.

"So the Dragon of Mistral graces me with her presence…" he began, turning to her with a harsh frown and an angry glare. "What do you want, Cinder?" Her jaw hung slack for a moment and she grit her teeth, cursing her own incompetence. Sighing deeply, she raised her chin and looked him in the eyes.

One of the many things she always prided herself with was the unique color of her eyes. With her aura she could make them respond with her emotions, shining with blazing golden fire at her command.

His eyes were identical to her own, a detail she could never see because of the mask he wore. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you again, brother."

"I was only eight when you left us," he sneered, "So it's not like you would recognize me anyway."

She found herself staring at his wings. They were larger than she would expect and gave him an intimidating presence, but at the moment the feathers were matted with dirt and mud. He had dark circles under his bloodshot eyes, looking as though he hasn't had a proper rest in weeks.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I came home to an ashen forest and a collection of graves. I knew Atlas was involved, so I've been working to bring down Ironwood's empire ever since." He said nothing, opting instead to sit himself down on a fallen log and start sharpening his swords. Cinder grit her teeth, "Enough of this, Milo. It's time for you to start involving yourself in this struggle. Whatever has you so angry needs to be set aside. Take that anger and move forward with it, instead of purging Salem's army."

The young man stopped scraping the stone against his sword and looked up at her, his face contorted in regret and pain. "I'm sorry, Cinder."

Her brow furrowed, "It's Salem's army, not mine. I don't care about the Grimm."

"No," he said shaking his head. "I'm sorry for failing to protect our family."

A pang of remorse stabbed at her heart. Yes, she did leave the family early to start training to be a Huntress, but she would never turn her back on the only family she had left. "It wasn't your fault," she managed to say. "Ironwood is the one to blame. Come with me and we'll avenge our family together."

Silence permeated the forest.

Milo slid the sharpening stone across the steel one last time, then swung hard at a nearby treebranch, cutting clean through the heavy wood. He slowly turned to her with a stern glare. "I have one condition. Fail to meet it, and I'll end it all here and now."

Cinder's eyes narrowed. "Name your terms."

In a flash, he raised his swords and charged.

* * *

 _ **Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.**_

 _ **-Deuteronomy 31:6**_


	15. The Next Step

The Fall Project

War

The Next Step

* * *

In many ways, Haven was identical to Beacon. The knowledge was covered by the same learning material, they had the same dorms, and the teachers were all just as diverse as the Beacon staff. However, the differences were just enough to make Jaune feel as though he was out of place.

He noticed the pity in Haven students' eyes as they saw the missing members of RWBY and CMSN, thinking that they may have been lost. For the rare few who brought up the topic, he assured them that Yang was recovering from her injury and Milo was alive, but taking some time away from the academy to rest.

For a while, things went back to normal. School persisted day-by-day, young Huntsmen and Huntresses doing everything they could to prepare for the future. Still, no matter how hard he and his team worked, Jaune couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't enough. He felt the drive to act, but didn't exactly know where to start.

The young leader occasionally found himself pacing his room or taking large amounts of time pondering the enemy's next target. It could be one of the other kingdoms, but Mistral was a prime target because of the high number of refugees that currently inhabited it.

If he were some kind of psychopathic megalomaniac bent on tearing apart the fabric of all society, that's what he would do.

With that in mind, the question remained; What could he do about it? Information was needed, but the leaders and decision makers of Mistral wouldn't likely involve him when so much was at risk. Ozpin was accepting of his help, but the Headmaster of Beacon couldn't possibly know everything about Haven's operations.

The best course of action, the _only_ course of action, would be for Jaune to go to the Haven Headmaster himself and offer his assistance. Unfortunately, he was still just a student, so convincing the Professor of his usefulness would be difficult. But what else was he supposed to do?

Coming to that exact conclusion is how he found himself knocking on the older man's door unannounced, uninvited, and completely unprepared. So when the door opened to him and revealed the tall, aged, yet still proud-looking Headmaster looking quizzically down on him, Jaune said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hreckbleh…."

Jaune's face turned bright red as the Professor rose an eyebrow at the young huntsman's fumbling dialogue. "Uhmm… Hello?" the man's deep voice resonated, snapping Jaune from his world of apocalyptic terror.

"Ah, sorry professor," he said, clearing his throat. "I would like to talk to you, if you're not busy at the moment."

"Not at all," he said, waiving Jaune inside. The Headmaster walked slowly to his desk with a slight limp in his right leg, taking a moment to pour his guest a cup of tea before easing himself into his chair.

The old huntsman smiled when he noticed the Jaune's concern for him. "Time hasn't been kind, but I can still pack a wallop," he reassured. "So young man, how can I help you?"

Jaune sat and gingerly sipped at the hot liquid. As the tea trailed down his throat, he felt a sense of warmth and tranquility that eased his mind. The effect was certainly not what he expected and he considered that the tea may be modified or medicated in some way. Perhaps it was because of the bad experience in Vale, but he didn't trust the effects of the tea and set it down.

Taking a moment to breathe and focus, Jaune regarded the elderly Headmaster. "It's about the perpetrators of the attack on Vale," he began. "They didn't make any demands or try to put someone new in power. The only thing they accomplished was destruction. Because of that, I believe that they won't stop there, that other kingdoms are at risk of the same disaster. Mistral is at the most risk from all the refugees, so I offer my knowledge and services as a huntsman to stop them."

Lionheart's smile faded and he looked at the young Huntsman with a solemn expression. "You are smart for your age, if that is truly the conclusion you came to."

Jaune nearly deflected the compliment, a part of his nature in humility that would never disappear, but now was not exactly the time for pure modesty. He needed to sell himself at least a little bit so the Headmaster would let him help. "Professor Ozpin has been training me in leadership this year. If you want his endorsement..."

He was interrupted by the Professor's raised hand. "Don't you worry. Ozpin was sure to tell me of his favorite student."

They both sat in silence for a moment, making Jaune anxious. "Uh… So does that mean you'll let me help?"

"No."

"But I can help! Just give be a few basics; who to trust, who to avoid, defenses, anything! I know I'm young, but I _can_ figure it out!" Jaune exclaimed.

Lionheart sighed. "I appreciate your desire to aid us in this troubled time. I'm sure you expect me to tell you that you are inexperienced and therefore useless, but that isn't the problem. You see, in a war such as this, victory can only be assured if you know your enemy."

"Then tell me, teach me," Jaune pleaded, "Let me help!"

"We Headmasters keep our enemy secrets to put the world at ease, Mr. Arc," he explained. Perhaps, when the time is right, it will be revealed to you... but for now you must focus on your schooling. Focus on the Grimm for the time being and the rest will follow suit when you are ready."

The young leader sighed, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Nothing you haven't already been doing, Mr. Arc. Good luck," the Headmaster concluded, and sent Jaune on his way.

But the young knight knew that something had to be done. He couldn't sit idly by and wait for the Kingdom to fall under attack like before. He owed it to so many people; Ozpin, the Beacon staff, RWBY, Ren and Nora, and most of all, Pyrrha. For them all, it was time to step forward, to be a true Huntsmen. War was coming. But this time…

This time they would be ready.

* * *

Ruby aimlessly wandered the halls of Haven academy, mindlessly searching for something to do. Meeting with Haven students was great and all but once they recognized her as someone from Beacon, people tended to either keep their distance or show an amount of pity that bordered on the absurd.

It's not like she's a child anymore! While they didn't necessarily 'win,' they saved a huge number of people in a real disaster. True, honest, _grown-up_ Huntress kind of stuff!

So, while the young reaper didn't particularly want to meet anyone new, she certainly did want to find something to occupy her time. Unfortunately the rest of her team was all busy with their own personal projects; Blake continued her research on the White Fang while Weiss focused on trying to figure out why Schnee Dust prices were so outrageously high, even for her standards.

In times of everlasting boredom like this, Ruby acted on her profound love for weapons, seeking out the nearest armory or gunsmith. Fortunately, Academy students had the ability to craft and modify their own weapons in the school armory, which means Haven has their own workshp. Ruby took the golden opportunity to see all the different weapons and styles that people in Mistral differ from the people in Vale.

As she stepped through the heavy twin doors she took in the sights and smells of the forge, humming a cheerful tune to herself. She caught the pleasantly familiar scent of heated metal, the rhythmic crack of a hammer against metal, and the grind of a sharpening stone. She always did enjoy her time in the forge, working on her weapon with careful precision until it was tuned to perfection.

When she wasn't working on Crescent Rose she often helped other students with their own projects, in a hope that she might find someone that shared her love for weaponry. Today, there were a few people making adjustments, but they all seemed to know what they were doing, so she decided not to intrude on their work, deciding instead to stand aside and admire their crafts.

After a few minutes, she happened across the twins of Team CMSN, both huddled over what looked to be a stripped-down machine gun. It was mostly assembled, missing only the outer protective casing that would protect the vital components from debris or standard wear and tear. There were a few strange metal clips on the bottom, making Ruby think that the weapon might be able to be attached to something else.

Intrigued by their creation, she quickly made her way to the table and clasped her hands behind her back. "What-cha doin'?" she asked in a singing voice.

Both pairs of dark, forest-green eyes rose to greet the young leader, while Mike gently lowered the small frame of the mostly-assembled weapon. "Trying to add a ranged modification so I can hit things without having to be too close to them. It's pretty complicated, so don't worry about helping, we can take care of it."

"Are you sure?" she asked with a grin, tapping a finger to her lips as she inspected the unique weapon. "Ooooh! Is that a spiral-chamber loading mechanism? That can bring your rate of fire up to fifteen-hundred rounds per minute!"

Their eyebrows rose in surprise and they idly blinked for a few moments. "Wait, fifteen-hundred? I thought it could only do one thousand," Gabe questioned.

The young reaper shrugged, a wide smile growing on her face. "It depends on what you can afford, I suppose. The higher quality metals for the firing mechanism can be used to make it shoot much faster, but they cost much more than standard steel. It looks like you're using a silver-nickel alloy for the motor pin, so I can tweak it to maximize your rate of fire."

Mike raised an eyebrow at Ruby, giving her a confused look. "How do you know all that?"

"Well, the Huntsman Qrow Branwen is my uncle. He taught me a lot of neat tricks, but I've always liked designing weapons," she said with a sly grin. "After all, I did make Crescent Rose."

The twins both stared at her for a few seconds, then looked at each other in unison. Both shrugged and nodded at each other, seeming to come to a conclusion without having to speak. Gabe then turned around and grabbed a third chair for the red reaper to sit and help them. The next few hours were spent making small adjustments to the machine gun, all the while with Ruby coaching them in proper maintenance for such a unique firing mechanism.

Looking for her team leader, Blake stepped into the armory. When she located the three students hunched over the table, the black-haired faunus ran over to them. "Are you experimenting with dangerous weaponry again, Ruby? I told you that goes against Academy policy!" Blake argued, eyes furrowing as she noticed the modified parts the young woman was trying to attach to the gun. "Wait, you need to file those pieces down to they don't cut the person using them… Just give it to me."

With her previous objections instantly forgotten, Blake joined the three and began adding her own style to the modifications. Dusk had long since passed before they finally finished, and as a final test before mounting the weapon to Mike's sheath, Ruby lifted the weapon and gently pulled the trigger.

The curved piece of metal offered practically no resistance, making the weapon sound a high-pitched whine as it came up to speed in a fraction of a second. She released the trigger and set it down for one last adjustment. "The trigger feels a little flimsy. We should probably tighten it up a bit so it doesn't get bumped and fire for no reason."

"Yeah, that would be bad," Mike nodded. They quickly made the adjustment, then decided that it was the best time to test-fire the weapon before turning in for the night. They moved to an open field just outside of the Academy grounds and assembled a makeshift target to fire at; a collection of sticks and hay taped together in the shape of a Beowolf, complete with a model Grimm mask.

"C'mon, try it out!" Ruby exclaimed, nearly bouncing with excitement.

Mike nodded and took careful aim, slowly pulling the trigger with anticipation. A torrential whirlwind of metal and destruction erupted from the muzzle of the machine gun, shredding through the target in seconds. The other three covered their ears as the weapon continued to fire, giving each other confused looks as to why he had not released the trigger yet.

Gabriel stepped next to his brother and yelled over the belching weapon. "Hey, stop firing! That's enough!"

Mike looked at him and raised the hand that should be on the trigger, "I can't! The trigger is stuck!"

With only one hand on the weapon, the recoil was far too great to control. The muzzle pitched upward, flinging itself over the young man's shoulder and dropping to the ground.

Blake, Ruby, and Gabe dove to the ground to avoid the hailstorm of bullets, while Mike scrambled for it, pressing down hard on the barrel with a boot and keeping it steady. Eventually the magazine ran dry, the rotating loader rattling loudly until the young Huntsman forced the trigger to release. They all let out a sigh of relief now that the fiasco was over.

"That was a little crazy," Gabe stated.

"Yeah, but at least the target was destroyed," Ruby suggested, prompting the rest of them to look in the direction of the obliterated scarecrow.

Blake came to a sudden realization. "Uh… Guys?" she started, "Is that the kitchen?" They followed her pointed finger, coming to rest on a small building riddled with still-smoking bullet holes. They quickly ran toward it and started hearing the wail of a fire alarm.

* * *

After an exhausting day, Glynda Goodwitch was ready for a long night's sleep. She had just enough time for a hot shower to calm her stressed mind and body, then she could fall in bed and rest. After dressing in her nightgown she did exactly that, wearily pulling the thin sheets over her shoulders and setting her glasses on the small bedside desk.

Just as her fingers grazed the small chain of her lamp to darken the room, there was a loud knock at the door. She sighed deeply, rubbing her eyes as she climbed out of bed. "Always something..." she grumbled to herself, quickly pulling the door open.

She squinted at the blurry figures through the doorway, suddenly realizing that she forgot her glasses on the desk. "Yes?"

"Sorry for waking you, Professor..." a young woman's voice squeaked. Glynda immediately recognized it as miss Rose, no doubt here because of some sort of domestic trouble she or her team may have caused.

She shook her head, "I wasn't sleeping just yet. Is there something you need, Miss Rose?"

"Uh, yeah… We need you to fix something."

The Huntress couldn't help but let out a long sigh, "Very well. What did you break?" At that, Ruby seemed to hesitate. Heavens, if it was anything like the cafeteria after Beacon's biggest food-fight in recorded history, then it should still be a simple wave of her riding crop.

"We sort of, possibly, may have broken… the kitchen."

Glynda blinked. "What did you break in the kitchen?" she asked, not realizing exactly what Ruby was saying.

"I think it actually might be just about everything," Ruby explained, making the professor sigh once more as she gathered her things.

* * *

Professor Ozpin sat in disappointed silence across from the four young hunters. After making sure that no one had been injured, the old headmaster was sure to make them understand the danger of the incident.

Needless to say, he was quite frustrated with their carelessness. "Your war with the kitchen staff nearly caused the entire Mistral army to come down on top of you! They thought we were under attack!"

Their heads hung low and Ruby was even giving him her strongest pouting face, to little effect of the seasoned Headmaster. "I recommend that you all volunteer in the kitchens to make up for your actions. A month should be long enough. In the meantime, you will each be taking full weapon safety courses in a hope that this incident is not repeated in the future," Ozpin concluded, dismissing the four students.

Once they had left his temporary office, the twins started barking accusations at each other.

"At least it's the kitchen," Blake interrupted. "We could've shot up the bathrooms and cleaned toilents for a month!" They shuddered at the horror of the idea, quickly agreeing that the punishment they received was reasonable, then made their way to the dorms for some much-needed sleep.

* * *

"Enough is enough! We have done more than what is necessary to provide for the citizens of Vale. It is time for them to move on and start rebuilding. Mistral cannot feed them all forever!" a stout, gray-haired man declared, stamping his fist in affirmation.

"We aren't ready for such an exodus!" another man added. "For the time being we need your help. Ration the food, increase imports from Atlas, even declare martial law if you have to!"

"Martial law?! The stability of Mistral's lower society is already in question and you would have us plunge them even further into desperation?"

"No, but you can't ignore-"

"For all we know, you let the criminals who destroyed _your_ kingdom into _our_ walls!"

The audience chamber erupted in disagreement, a dozen councilors arguing and accusing each other as the negotiations fell to pieces.

Winter Schnee witnessed the chaos from her pedestal, her expression stern from the frustrations of politics. She scanned the room, praying for something to make them come to an agreement. Instead, her eyes fell on Qrow Branwen, who was standing in the corner with his eyes darting back and forth and a finger on his chin. He was intensely focused, paying close attention to each and every person's argument, following who said what, what they wanted, and what their reasoning was.

She supposed he was here for information; acting as Ozpin's eyes and ears, or he could be here to pester her for his own twisted enjoyment. Though she had to admit that as irritating as his endless teasing was, Qrow could be a pleasant distraction from time to time.

"Enough! Enough!" one man cried, catching the attention of the council chamber. "A consensus must be made. Perhaps a loan from the Bank of Vacuo and a reasonable deal with Schnee Dust Company could be enough for the people of Vale to return home."

Many eyes turned to Winter, who furrowed her brow and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't answer for the SDC. I am here as an Atlas Military representative."

"Then as an 'Atlas Military Representative', do you have anything to offer?"

She nodded, "A contingent of soldiers can be requisitioned to protect the people of Vale, along with weapons and ammunition, though supplies will be restricted."

"Can't you just bring your airships and dump them back where they came?" the accuser suggested, earning disdainful glares from the others in the room.

Ignoring the man's attitude, Winter answered quickly in hope of moving forward before the situation could worsen. "The airships aided in the evacuation because it was a state of emergency. They must be on hand in case of another emergency. They are unavailable for other purposes for the time being. This is a direct order from General Ironwood and is therefore non-negotiable."

"Perhaps now is a good time to take our leave and reconvene at a later date," one moderator suggested, knowing there would be no agreement anytime soon. Disgruntled, they all agreed and slowly shuffled out of the room.

Qrow waited just beyond the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a sly grin.

"What are you doing here, Qrow?" she asked as they left the council chamber.

"You know me, I'm looking for information!" he exclaimed, giving her a wide grin. "Got anything for me, Snow Angel?"

The Huntress rolled her eyes, turning in the direction of her apartment. "You seem to think we have some kind of _unhealthy_ relationship where anytime you walk into the room, I spill all my military secrets."

A wide grin grew on his face, "You wish you had _any_ kind of relationship with me."

Winter laughed, a playfully mocking chuckle coupled with a rare flirtatious smile. "You give yourself far too much credit, Qrow."

He immediately took up a pompous tone and made an exaggerated bow, "Of _course,_ your highness! How rude of a dirty, rotten scoundrel like myself to be so bold..." She couldn't help but laugh as continued on her way, despite knowing that he was making fun of her family status. "Seriously though, what's the real reason why can't Atlas loan a few airships?"

"What I said in the meeting was true. They are only to be used in emergency situations."

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, "Really? Because I was thinking that it couldn't _possibly_ be because the entire fleet was nearly destroyed in Vale and is now under extensive repairs. Plus with budget cuts during the Vytal festival, one might even say that it might not fully recover since Atlas doesn't have many resources left."

Winter halted and gave him a look of bewilderment, "Why would you bother asking if you already knew?"

He shrugged, "Gotta remind you what I do for a living every now and then. If I didn't, you'd probably just think all I ever do is drink, sleep, and kill Grimm."

She opened her mouth to protest, but paused. "Yeah, you have a point," she admitted. At a fork in the walkway, she turned left down a quiet corridor rather than right, toward home.

Qrow caught on immediately. Schnee wanted to talk. "How is your niece, Yang? I heard she received a prosthetic arm. Is it working well for her?" Winter asked. She had heard that the young brawler was not recovering well, even after the delivery of a prosthetic arm supplied by General Ironwood. The gift was intended as a token of thanks and an opportunity for her to resume training as a Huntress, though Winter suspected the General of an ulterior motive.

"It's an Atlas piece of junk and she hates it," he stated as a matter-of-fact. "And she'd depressed. I tried snapping her out of it. Her dad tried and all her friends tried too… but it's the most depressed I've ever seen her. To be honest, I don't know what to do about it, other than wait for her to get her head on straight."

"Time heals all wounds..." Winter suggested.

But Qrow couldn't agree to that. It hadn't healed any of his wounds. He scratched his head, desperate for a lighter subject. "So, during the chaos of battle, I heard you managed to stop Milo from cooking Jimmy like a Sunday barbecue," he commented, his lips curling into a sly grin.

Winter had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter at the picture of the morbid joke… Jimmy on a grill. Perhaps it was the pressure of the world's events, the stress of working so long with little rest or recuperation that broke through her icy shell. Or maybe it was just being around Qrow. Either way, it felt liberating to laugh again. "That is one way to put it, yes," she smiled at him, her eyes all lit up like they used to be.

He had to look away… before his eyes searched hers for something he knew wouldn't be there. "Yeah, that kid sure can fight," Qrow nearly faltered. "So, have you tracked down your Phoenix fugitive yet?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head. "I thought I had a lead in the northeast, but it turned out to be nothing. He just completely vanished."

"Yeah, he tends to do that," he said, then frowned as a thought occurred. "Does Atlas have him?"

She shook her head in response, "I am certain. What I'm more concerned about is whether or not he will be returning. Truth be told, after everything he's been through, I'm not sure I would blame him for joining the White Fang."

"Since when were you so open-minded?" he questioned, earning him a sneer from the Schnee. "Are you sure Atlas didn't get a hold of him somehow? For all we know Ironwood could've abducted him again, keeping him drugged to near death."

"No, that can't be true. The General is far too paranoid about him right now. If Milo was detained, he would be acting differently," Winter explained. "I think we should keep looking for him. He could help us, if he's willing."

"Careful with that kind of thinking," he interjected. "It might not sit well with a bunch of people. And by that I mean most of the known world. The kid is his own weapon of mass destruction and everyone wants him on their side."

"You know, you could at least recognize the fact that he is trying to protect Remnant," she defended.

"Nah..." Qrow sighed. "The jury's still out on what he was trying to do. Anyway, I'm gonna grab a few drinks before dozing off. I'd invite you, but you'd probably just think I'm flirting."

She smiled again and found herself thinking of what she had to do for tomorrow. It _was_ one of her R &R days… "How are the experimental hangover remedies coming these days?" she teased.

"Oh, I'll figure it out soon enough," he chuckled. "Then I'll bottle it and become more rich and famous than the Schnees could ever hope to be!"

Winter grinned, "You could live out your days in infamy as the man who cured hangovers."

"That's the dream!" he exclaimed, making them both burst into laughter.

The huntress bit her lip, trying to make a decision… "Qrow?"

"Hm?"

"...Have you ever been to the Drunken Huntsman?"

"Honey, they _named_ it after me. "Let's go."

* * *

The low rumble of thunder pulled Yang from her shifting dreams… Dreams of still having two hands to fight with.

She groggily opened her eyes and sighed at her reality, taking in what she could of the dark surroundings of her room. Shadows lurked in every corner, occasionally illuminated by bright flashes of lightening from the storm above. The light rain that pattered against the roof of the building was calming, but the wind tore at the building, letting the frigid air leak into the house with ease.

She shivered and pulled the blankets tighter, wondering why she always felt cold despite multiple layers of insulation. Breathing deeply in an attempt to slow her mind, she caught the scent of a sweet-smelling forest; Something considerably out of place in Mistral, who's jungle had a more bracing smell that seemed to permeate every inch of the Kingdom.

Distracted and perplexed, Yang slowly sat up and squinted into the dark room, searching for the source. Had her father brought something from Patch that still smelled like home? The room flashed brightly as a thunderbolt arced its way across the nearby sky, the house shaking as the thunder rolled.

Yang nearly screamed when she noticed the dark silhouette crouched to the left of her bed. She reeled away from the figure, but paused when a shimmer of gold caught her eye. The sight was unmistakable.

It was Milo.

How long had he been gone? Three weeks? A month? Longer? And after vanishing for so long... now he just shows up out of nowhere? She had half a mind to jump up and punch him in the face! However, the other half of her mind thanked _God_ that he finally came back.

Yang sat up and squinted, barely able to make out what he was doing in the low light. She watched in quiet interest as he slowly wiped a towel across the feathers of his left wing, wiping away all the dirt he could. By no means were they pristine, but by the look of his other wing she could tell he'd been at it for quite a while.

As time passed he worked more and more slowly, his head starting to slump forward as exhaustion threatened to claim him. Just as his weight began to shift and he started to fall, Yang reached out and touched his shoulder. He turned to look at her, revealing the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. In an instant she knew, whatever she wanted to say would have to wait.

Yang's eyes widened when he pulled himself up and slid between her sheets, her heart starting to race as he gently pressed her back to the mattress. "W-what-"

He shook his head and embraced her with strong arms and inviting wings, pulling the young woman close and wrapping her in a warm, velvety cocoon. Wherever he was, it was evident that she was sorely missed. After mere moments, the young man's breathing slowed and his muscles relaxed as he drifted into a deep sleep. She nuzzled deeper into his chest and relished his warmth. She loved it, but couldn't help thinking that this was out of place for Milo. He had never, _ever_ given her much more than a half-second hug, yet here he was sleeping in her bed. It was so out of place that it couldn't be real.

Then this must be some kind of dream…

At least it's a good one this time, she thought.

Yang closed her eyes and let Milo's steady breathing and heartbeat lull her back into blissful sleep. She felt a sense of fulfillment, that from here on everything would be okay.

Love does funny things like that.

* * *

" _ **We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."**_

 **-2 Corinthians 4:8-9**


	16. Return

The Fall Project

War

Return

* * *

The cheerful sing of birds echoed through the walls, pulling Yang from her deep and peaceful slumber. Flickering images of her past dream remained, giving her a sense of joy as she woke. She opened her eyes to the morning sunlight beaming through the open window, letting out a yawn as she started to sit up on the bed.

She brushed the velvety soft sheets aside with a wave of her arm and stood, stretching her arm and loosening her legs with a few practiced motions. For whatever reason she felt extraordinarily well rested, despite the recent affliction of nightmares that seemed to take hold every so often. This morning felt pretty good.

As she pulled one of her clothing drawers open, a thought occurred to her; She didn't _own_ any velvet sheets for her bed, nor could her dad afford anything so luxurious on just a teaching salary, which meant that there was nothing in the house that could come even _close_ to the softness she had felt just a few moments ago.

But that means…

Whirling around in shock, she took in the sight of a deeply slumbering avian faunus. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if this wasn't some figment of her imagination.

To her admittedly pleasing astonishment, he was still there. With one golden wing draped over his abdomen and the other hanging over the side of the bed, he looked peaceful, more so than she had ever seen him before. She smiled at the realization that last night wasn't a dream at all. A rush of emotions surged in her heart; excitement, happiness, anxiety, fear, and just a twinge of anger.

Her heart fluttered at the thought that he really did come back just to see her, that he needed her like she needed him, but suddenly a rush of worries flooded her mind. What would her team think of him spending the night uninvited like that? I mean all they did was sleep, but not everyone would believe that! Though she supposed it was her own fault, with all the inappropriate jokes and innuendos she always made...

Just then, she heard the pounding footsteps of Taiyang Xiao Long as he approached her bedroom door. Thrown into a panic, she did the first thing that came to mind and charged for the door just as the knob began to turn, throwing her shoulder against the hard wood.

"Hey Yang, it's time for breakf-OW! Hey!" he exclaimed as the door slammed against his nose.

"Sorry! Sorry..." she hesitated, pressing her foot against the door to keep it from opening. "I uh… I'm not dressed!"

"Oh, okay sorry," he called from the other side. "I'll knock next time."

"Thanks. I'll be down in a little bit, I just have to..." she paused, glancing over at Milo again, who had just begun to stir. "I just need a few minutes," she declared, biting her lip in a hope that he wouldn't press his way inside.

A few seconds passed before he responded. "It would be good to see you up and about today, Yang."

The young woman instinctively huffed in irritation and grit her teeth. Why was he always pushing her so much? Couldn't he see that she just wanted to be left alone? She cursed under her breath, realizing that she had just contradicted herself. The _last_ thing she wanted was to be alone.

Letting out a long sigh, she lightly tapped her fist against the door in contemplation. "Okay Dad, just… I'll be down soon."

"Okay but I have to go to work right now so I'll see you tonight." The footsteps retreated, allowing Yang to breathe a sigh of relief because of the close call. She could only imagine what would happen if her father opened the door to a strange young man in his daughter's bed.

As the would-be disaster played out in her mind, Milo stirred again. He yawned and dizzily sat up on the bed, stretching his arms and wings wide. For the first time, she was able to behold the sight and splendor of his golden wings. His wingspan was vast, seeming to reach clear from one side of the room to the other. He let out a pained growl as he stretched, forcing him to let his sore wings hang loosely.

Yang couldn't help but remember all the pain of the past month, the depression and anxiety that felt never ending. All that suffering she had to endure even when he seemed to sleep off all his troubles in a single night.

Such a thing called for only one course of action.

Yang put on her most alluring grin and climbed up onto the bed, making his head snap in her direction and his eyebrows raise in surprise. Even as she flaunted her beauty, teasingly crawling closer each second, his eyes never left hers. When she broke the barrier of personal space, inching toward him, he faltered for just a moment, glancing down below the neck. Her grin grew wide, knowing she had ensnared him even as his gaze returned to her eyes and his wings slowly began to curl around her frame.

Just as she pressed a hand to his chest and drew them closer, her lips only inches from his, his eyes narrowed and he squinted slightly. She nearly panicked as he caught on to her odd behavior and tried to read her true intentions. Sticking true to the plan, she smiled and pushed hard, making him let out a sharp gasp and his arms flail as he fell off of the bed and hit the ground with a hard thud.

Oh the sweet, sweet taste of vengeance.

Yang raised her chin proudly, giving Milo a wide and mischievous grin as he looked up at her from the mess of limbs and feathers on the floor.

"I guess I kind of deserved that," he chuckled, shaking his head in spite of himself.

"Kind of?" she challenged, her smile disappearing in an instant. "You 'kind of' disappeared when we needed you, Milo. Where did you go? What was so important that you needed to leave us behind?" The words flowed from the heart, far quicker than she could process what she was saying.

He hesitated, scratching at a long scab on his left forearm; his first scar since Vale. "I…" a long pause followed with Milo gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, trying to find the right words. Finally, he let out an exasperated sigh and sunk deeper into the floor. "I'm not ready to talk about it."

Yang had to hold back her seething rage. She knew that her eyes would be bright red, glaring down on him with a fiery anger that she knew would hurt him… something she didn't ever want him to see. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she willed them not to fall. "I needed you here, Milo."

He averted his gaze, suddenly finding the floorboards an interesting piece of architecture. The guilt in his expression was clear. "I didn't think you felt that way."

"Oh, that's a load of crap and you know it!" she yelled, "After pulling you out of your own shell, being a friend when no one else would, and _forcing_ you to act like a human being, you just _leave_? Look at this!" she exclaimed, exaggeratedly waving the stump of her right arm. "I became useless the moment this happened and you weren't there to help! Do you have any _semblance_ of an idea what that did to me? Think I'm sounding selfish? Well if you had the guts to face me in your darkest moment, then I would've helped you too!"

Yang bit back the tears again, trying to enforce her will… but this time it didn't work. She felt weak. She _is_ weak.

Milo stared at the ground, unable to look her in the eye. "I'm sorry, Yang," he said, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

She shook her head. "Why did you even come here? Aren't you still in love with Pyrrha?"

"Pyrrha is in love with Jaune," he countered, shaking his head. "And it wasn't Pyrrha's home I went to."

Yang breathed, letting her anger go. Her nerves twisted her stomach in knots as she contemplated asking her next question… But she had to know. "Milo, that's not what I asked. Who do _you_ love?"

The question hung in the air for an eternity, both Milo and Yang staring at each other, the latter anxiously awaiting a response. With his brow furrowed and his mouth locked in a deep frown, it was clear that he did _not_ like this question.

"It's not that simple."

His response was cold, with empty words that seemed to darken the morning light. It _hurt,_ making her heart fall deeper through her chest and into the poison that she recognized as despair.

She wiped her eyes and forced herself to breathe. "Just… Promise me one thing." A slight nod of his head signaled her to continue. "Promise me that you won't run away again. That next time you think you have to leave, you'll come to me instead."

Milo paused, carefully considering her request. After a while, he gave a smile as he reached up and cupped her cheek. "I think I might have an idea, but it'll probably drain all the energy I've got."

"Wait, why would a promise drain your-" Yang gasped when his other hand rested on her heart, and she felt the rushing tide of his aura rushing into her. Like a raging river, it filled every crack and crevice of her being, making even the emptiness of her heart seem to fade. She almost didn't hear the words he spoke, only recognizing a few things she read in a textbook at Beacon.

" _...Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."_

Yang felt their souls bind, bringing to light all the emotions he was feeling and revealing each others' pain; Milo felt the shock and despair of her crippling wound and the loneliness of the days that followed, while she felt emotions that at last made her understand him. She felt his anger at so many people that had wronged him, along with the sadness of losing his family and regret. Both for not helping his friends and something else that he kept buried, hidden from her sight. Underneath it all there was fear. Fear of losing the only person left who seemed to care about him, fear of being cursed to die alone and hated by the people he called his friends.

Even though she didn't fully understand why he felt that way, she could feel the honesty of his promise, a vow that he would always protect her even when he was just as lost as she was.

Milo's aura subsided as he slumped and fell forward in exhaustion. She caught him with ease, feeling invigorated by the adrenaline pumping through her blood. He mumbled something unintelligible before passing out completely, leaving her with the task of hoisting him back up on the bed.

While Yang wasn't exactly sure how she accomplished it, she managed to get him, along with all six of his limbs, up on the bed and in a comfortable position. Once she was done, she flopped onto the bed and wiped away a few beads of sweat from her forehead.

What did Milo just do to her, anyway? At first it seemed like some kind of soul-merge, something that might make them linked in some way, but after the connection faded everything felt normal. At least, she hoped everything was normal.

Only one thing was certain; Milo meant what he said. Her questions would just have to wait until the young man wakes up again. For the time being, it might be a good idea to get everyone together so he only has to explain himself once…

Yang rolled to her side and grabbed her scroll, quickly typing out a mass text to her friends. _"Hey guys, I've got some news..."_

* * *

After talking with her teammates, they decided that it would be a good idea for them all to meet over dinner and hear Milo's tale. Until then, she and Milo didn't do much of anything. When he woke up, he took the quickest shower she ever thought possible and put on a fresh set of clothing, somehow managing to put fit a shirt through his wings. His entire afternoon was spent stretching the soreness out of his wings.

Meanwhile, Yang put on a few movies in the living room. Unfortunately she wasn't feeling great, so she ended up watching a bunch of sappy romances that had happy endings every time. She couldn't help but think how pathetic she must seem to him, to her friends, even to her father… But without her arm she felt useless, without purpose. Just an empty blob of nothingness.

It was about halfway through the second movie when Yang felt a slight movement in the air; the only telltale sign that Milo was now standing beside her, silently watching the screen with a blank expression.

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment because of her chosen movie, an old classic where an evil prince was trying to marry the princess before the hero could get there and stop them. They only had to wait for the preacher to get through the ceremony.

"… _Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us to-ge-tha, to-day..."_

Yang was about to turn it off, but was astonished to hear Milo snort, trying to stifle his laughter at the preacher's over-embellished speech impairment. She turned to him and saw his wide grin, wondering if he actually might've seen this movie before.

She felt a pit in her stomach grow as a question came to mind, but she managed to swallow her fear. "Do… do you want to watch with me?"

His grin faded, and he stared at the screen for several seconds. "It's almost over, isn't it?"

A smile grew at the corners of her lips. He _has_ seen it before. "Yeah, but we can just start over."

"Sure," he said and sat beside her as the movie started from the beginning.

For several hours they said nothing, not wanting to spoil the pleasant company they shared for the time being. As time passed they drew closer, until Yang was able to lean toward him and rest her head on his shoulder.

She knew this wouldn't last forever, and savored every passing moment.

After a few hours Ruby came home, bringing along Weiss, Blake, and the other teams as per their arrangements. With an almost imperceptible sigh, Milo separated himself from Yang's side as they piled inside, quietly withdrawing to the kitchen to set up the dining wares while she greeted them.

He occasionally peered from around the corner, noting what changes they've made over the past month. Ruby let her raven-colored hair grow out, falling past her shoulders to the center of her back. It also just occurred to him that she was still growing, and had added an inch or two since the start of the year.

Weiss hadn't changed much. If anything, she seemed to be more humble; her chin wasn't held quite so high, though she lost none of her confidence.

Blake surprised him with the absence of her bow, leaving her cat ears in plain view for all to see. Milo supposed she thought that after the events of Vale, people would be less judgmental of a huntress-in-training.

His gaze passed over Jaune and Pyrrha, instead resting on Nora and Ren. The bubbly young woman leaped into Yang's embrace, exclaiming her joy at seeing her on her feet. Ren, however, was staring straight back at Milo with a distrustful glare. He didn't know what he did to earn that kind of hatred, but decided that it wasn't important enough for him to ask about.

Cade looked to be in good spirits, and the twins were doing their funny 'talking at the same time' thing. Mike apparently added electric-blue lightning bolts to his jacket and sword scabbard, which also had an impressive looking machine gun attached to it. Etched into the metal on the barrel casing was the name of the weapon; _Thunderlord_. Milo chuckled at the overly-dramatic name, knowing that it was something Mike no doubt decided upon after just a few seconds. Gabe also let his hair grow out and combed it back into small curls at the base of his neck. He had also donned a dark red duster; the same color of Cade's armor.

Mustering some courage, he stepped around the corner and stood next to Yang, acknowledging everyone with a nod.

What Yang neglected to remember, however, was how she would explain Milo's sudden appearance to her father. And so, when Taiyang opened the front door and locked eyes with the Avian Faunus standing in very close vicinity to Yang, he did the first thing that she and Ruby expected him to do.

" _ **WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!"**_

The moment he charged forward, a shower of rose petals fluttered to the floor around him as Ruby leaped onto his back, screaming for him to stop. "It's okay Dad, he's a friend!" Milo's eyes were wide with surprise and he found himself instinctively reaching for his swords, only to realize that he left them upstairs in Yang's room.

" _ **NO ONE COMES CLOSE TO MY KIDS AND LIVES TO SPEAK OF IT!"**_

Yang met his charge and tucked her shoulder low, holding him at bay as best she could. "Dad! Dad it's okay!"

" _ **AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"**_

With a growl of frustration, Yang took a one-handed fistful of her father's collar and lifted him in the air, her eyes glowing bright red. "Dammit Dad, shut up and listen!" she screamed. "I was depressed all this time because I was waiting for him to show up! So now that he's here, at the very least, you're not gonna lay a finger on him until I get better! _GOT IT?!_ "

A long, shocked silence followed once Yang let go of her father's collar. Everyone exchanged glances, not knowing what to do while they awaited Taiyang's response. He gave Milo a deadly glare before turning to his eldest daughter. "We'll talk about this later, Yang," he said and moved into the kitchen to prepare their dinner.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and settled, quickly finding a comfortable place to sit while they waited for dinner. After a few seconds of deliberation, Gabe and Mike stood and walked over to Milo, each grasping one of his forearms in a warrior's handshake. "We missed you, buddy. Welcome back."

"Good to be back," he responded with a smile.

Cade stood with a sigh and grasped the young faunus' forearm in greeting. "Try not to run off again," he ordered, earning a nod of the affirmative.

Many of them turned to Milo, a question hanging in the air but few willing to ask it. The young man looked around, seeing the not-so-friendly looks from each of his friends. "I guess I have some explaining to do," he admitted with a sigh. "I spent the first week or so killing Grimm, until I decided that I should be going after the people responsible for the attack on Vale… So I hunted down anyone I knew was a part of it."

"Alone?" Ruby nervously asked.

He chuckled and traced the scab along his left arm. "Yeah, but I was acting from rage and made a few mistakes. In the end I only managed to defeat one." His gaze seemed to drift, staring into the distance with a solemn look in his eyes. "Turns out hate and anger only brings pain and regret."

He shook the dark thoughts from his head and looked back up at his friends. "Eventually I snapped out of it and decided to come here."

The air of the room hung still for what felt like an eternity, until Jaune finally broke the silence. "That's it? Don't get me wrong but I feel like you would've done more."

"Uh, does there have to be more? I wasn't really thinking rationally so no, I don't have much more to add," Milo explained.

Weiss hesitated for a moment before speaking her mind, "I have to ask… Were you involved in a large shipment of Schnee Dust that was recently stolen?"

"No," he responded with a shake of his head, "but I know where they're keeping most of their stockpile."

"Really?" she asked hopefully. "Is it vulnerable? Could we-"

"I think this isn't the time or place to talk about that kind of thing," Milo suggested, pointing a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. The heiress pursed her lips, not admitting that he was probably right.

"So how did you manage to get into Mistral without anyone noticing?" Gabe asked.

"Oh, well I figured that everyone would be watching the skies so I walked in instead," he replied plainly.

"What?!" Yang exclaimed, remembering all the days she spent watching the skies for his return.

He flinched, a slight smirk growing on his lips. "Yeah, I just wrapped my wings around my body like this..." he lifted his arms, folding his golden wings across his chest and around his back. The longest feathers ended up behind his legs, pointing downward a few inches from the ground. "I put on a coat and walked through the main gate. Honestly, it shouldn't have been that easy."

"Hey, I was saving that!" Taiyang suddenly yelled from the kitchen, "How did you even find it?!"

Suddenly, a dwarf-like young woman came running around the corner, shoveling scoops of ice cream into her mouth with a gleeful happiness in her eyes as she narrowly dodged the Huntsman's attempts to snatch the bucket from her grip. She danced her way over to Cade, using the young man as a shield.

"Neo!" Cade chided the young woman, trying to pull the ice cream away from her. She snapped her teeth at his extended fingers and pointed sternly in his direction, giving them both a deadly glare. "Neo that doesn't belong to you. You agreed to follow _all_ the rules!"

She stabbed the spoon into the frozen treat and raised her hand, shaking it back and forth as if to say 'kind of'. Cade rolled his eyes, "Look, I'll get you some ice cream later tonight, okay? Just give it back."

The young woman's gaze flickered between him and Taiyang, until she finally let go a disappointed sigh. She sniffled before handing the Huntsman the tub of ice cream, wiping away a fake tear as he made his way back to the kitchen. Not a second later, she pulled out her scroll and sat in Cade's lap, tapping away without a care in the world.

"Little gremlin..." Yang grumbled under her breath, clearly unhappy with the fact that Neo was now a member of their circle of friends. It had come as a surprise to them all, but the young woman seemed harmless enough so long as Cade was nearby and there as an adequate supply of frozen treats. They were careful of course, keeping a close eye on her until she proves her devotion to the cause. All save for Cade, who trusted her completely. Since they all seemed to accept her, so did Milo.

Before long, Taiyang called for them all to the dining table, where a small feast had been made. Most of the young huntsmen in training ravenously plowed through their food. Including Milo, who grabbed one of everything available. For a moment he chuckled and took a sip of water. "You know, I had to hunt while I was away. Sometimes you could go a day or two without finding anything… and sometimes it's too easy to confuse the sound of Grimm with the sound of an animal. So thank you for all this," he concluded, nodding in Taiyang's direction.

"So… what now?" Ruby asked.

Milo smirked at the question, "It's funny you mention that, actually. I think the danger these days is growing, and anyone who denies it is an idiot. If you would let me, I'd like to train with all of you; to help you work on your weaknesses and bolster your strengths." He turned to Yang and gave her a coy smile, "Starting with you."

"Me?" She gasped, "But I'm… I-I mean..." she hesitated, placing a hand on the stump of her crippled arm.

"That's why, right there," he said, pointing in her direction. "Since when was Yang Xiao Long one to hesitate? It's time for you to get back in the fight, and I'm gonna make sure that you're stronger than ever."

"Yeah!" the twins exclaimed, giving each other a high-five while Cade threw a threatening glare in their direction.

"And how do you expect to do that?" the blonde brawler asked.

He frowned, meeting her gaze with a fierce glare of his own. "I guess you'll just have to trust me," he said, and his gaze softened. "I know you don't want to be a bystander in all this, so I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're ready. Even if I have to drag you outside and take you through a roller coaster every day until you start training again."

Yang collapsed into her chair with a groan, accepting the fact that Milo would live up to his word. The next few weeks were going to be brutal...

* * *

How could they let him back in like this? No investigating? No making sure that he's the same person who stopped a bomb from killing them all? Just listen to the little that he has to say and leave it at that?

It was absurd, naive, and idiotic.

Not to mention the fact that if Ren were to speak his mind with Jaune, he would be ridiculed by the young leader. So, if no one would believe him, he would take matters into his own hands. To prepare for the inevitable, and be ready to act when the time comes.

It was a difficult start, figuring exactly how he could prepare to go against something that can't die. But then it occurred to him…

 _E_ _veryone has a weakness._

So, what was the weakness of a nigh-unstoppable engine of destruction born from fire and damnation? Well, the only way to pursue a legend was to study it's origins, and that wouldn't be possible in today's textbooks. Ren would have to ask a far more ancient source of information if anything was to be gained.

After some digging, he found that there was an elder of a village about a dozen miles to the southeast of the city, and some people had take to calling him the 'Keeper of Knowledge'. There, one could find a small library filled with the old legends and fables of eastern Remnant. While he tried to convince Nora to let him go alone, she simply refused. Knowing that she would quite literally follow him all the way there no matter what he did, he relented.

Unfortunately, no Bullheads could be spared for a 'pleasure excursion' to a library, so they had to walk. The entire trip was spent in silence on his part, save for the occasion question he had to answer through Nora's incessant chatter. Fortunately, the road was kept safe because of the close proximity to Mistral, meaning that the way was completely absent of Grimm.

Ren simply took in the forest, breathing with the air that flowed through thick branches and brush, always moving forward as the sun slowly passed above their heads, stopping only to eat. Just as the sky started to turn to a bright orange, the sun meeting the edges of the treetops, the light brown of a clay archway could be seen down the curve of the path.

The ancient arch served as more of a traditional piece than anything, with the words _'Welcome to Shira-Shinoji'_ intricately carved into the wooden frame in old Mistrali. The rest of the quiet village followed suit, with the same architectural design as the arch. Ren took it all in stride, quickly turning toward a familiar building at the center of town, kindly waving at any passersby that greeted them. Eager to find the knowledge he sought, the young man leaped up the few first steps of the building's small balcony and glanced at the library's welcome sign before pushing the door open.

The dusty scent of parchment and musty furniture filled his lungs, not altogether unpleasant after a long day of traveling. Flame-less candles hung from intricate chandelier at the center of the room, illuminating the dark wooden shelves with a soft glow. Every wall was covered with a bookshelf, each shelf overflowing with scrolls, books, diaries, and more.

The so-called 'Keeper of Knowledge' was certainly living up to his name, and this was only the first room.

"Did we _have_ to go to the library?" Nora protested with an exaggerated sigh.

Ren quickly shushed her and nodded his head. "Yes we did. This is the only place I can find what I'm looking for."

"What is it you seek?" a voice called from the adjacent room, making Ren cringe in embarrassment.

He walked to the other side of the first room and through the hallway, turning toward the sound of the Elder's voice. Through the labyrinth of halls and doorways, he somehow came to a room with a small oak desk against a window, the Elder reading an extremely large tome in a language Ren didn't recognize. He sat with a slight hunch in his back, the simple white robes flowing to the ground around him.

Before he could introduce himself, the old man spoke with a thick old-Mistrali accent. "You both carry the walk of a warrior, and you seem to have arrived on your own. You must be young Huntsmen, to have come so far without guidance." He turned from his book and studied them both with deep, grey-blue eyes, revealing his balding head and short, grey beard. "Welcome and good fortune, young Huntsmen," he announced with a bow of his head, "I am Kengi, a pleasure to meet you both."

"The pleasure is ours, Master Kengi," Ren said, bowing low out of respect. "My name is Lie Ren, and this is Nora Valkyrie. I have come seeking knowledge and council to better prepare for the future."

Kengi hummed his understanding and reached for his trusty cane, shakily pulling himself to his feet. "Very well, how may I be of assistance?"

The young man hesitated, guilt rising in his heart as he turned to Nora. "I need to speak with Master Kengi in private, Nora."

Her eyes widened for a moment, then her brow furrowed as she started to protest. "But I though we were supposed to stay close from now on… in case something happens again."

He smiled, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes and resting a hand on her shoulder, noticing the slight tint of red in her cheeks. "I know you're worried, but I'll just be in the next room. I promise it'll be fine." She huffed and whirled around, stomping out of the room and down the hall to peruse the shelves for something she might find interesting.

Once she was out of earshot, Ren turned back to the Elder. "Do you remember the legend of The Great Deceiver?"

The old man pondered for a moment, seeming to look into the ether for the right answer. "Ah, yes. The Dragon and the Phoenix; an old legend from an age long passed."

"It's more than just a legend, isn't it?" Ren suggested.

"Some may believe in it more than others," the old man said with a grin.

Ren took a deep breath. "I have found the Phoenix."

A long, silent pause followed, the defined lines of the elder's. "How can you be so sure?"

"I watched him die and rise again from the ashes, renewed and remade into the engine of destruction that he was born to be." The elder's eyes narrowed as Ren explained, frowning sharply as he continued. "I need to know how to defeat him when he turns on us."

"You are certain this Phoenix will turn on you?" he questioned, "Has he or she given any indication of doing so?"

"No, but it is only a matter of time. His story doesn't add up, and I'm trying to prepare for the worst. _Please_ , Master. I need your help."

"Very well, " he sighed and waved Ren forward as he waddled through the hallway, turning left about halfway to the exit. Moving to the corner of the room, he knelt to the ground with a finger on his chin, muttering something about old knees. "Ah, here we are," he said, pulling an old scroll from the bottom of the shelf.

He carefully pulled the parchment open and set it on the table, revealing a long page of text with thousands of unfamiliar characters on it. "This is the story of our two Legends; Ancalagon the Vast, and Ares the Undying." He paused for a few moments as he continued to read, shaking his head as he went. "Most of this is written in proverbs, though it does speak of their immense hatred for each other except for a single warning; ' _Beware the day these two foes find a common enemy, else all in their path find only devastation.'_ "

"Yes but I don't know who the dragon is and even if I did, I still need to know how to defeat him! Can you see anything that might help?" Ren pleaded, quickly becoming impatient.

"It only says that eventually Ancalagon defeated his brother and bound his wings with great stones, then threw him into the sea. The crushing depths swallowed the Phoenix, sealing him away until the ravages of time could claim him."

"That hardly helps," Ren groaned. If the only chance was to subdue him, they would first have to defeat him. Unless… there was more to this than Ren could see at the moment, a hidden weakness in the text.

"If I may offer a piece of advice..." the Elder declared, closing the scroll with a practiced twist of his wrist. "...I ask that you remember that not all is as it seems."

"What do you mean?" the young man asked with a look of concern. "I am trying to stop an evil thing from happening. I'm trying to keep history from repeating itself."

"Evil? Light is light, and darkness is darkness… but good and evil depend on where you are standing," the elder explained. "Do the members of the White Fang not believe that they are good?"

Ren's eyes furrowed, he couldn't hardly believe what he was hearing. "Are you suggesting that his intentions are not evil?" he challenged, giving the elder a steely glare.

The old man simply sighed and shook his head. "I am merely suggesting that you keep an open mind."

* * *

"' _ **My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"**_

 **-Luke 15:31-32**


	17. Risk and Reward

The Fall Project

War

Risk and Reward

* * *

"But you said you know where they're keeping all the Dust!" Weiss exclaimed, trying to convince her team, as well as team CMSN, that this would be a perfect way to move against the White Fang. "If we steal back the stolen property we could balance things out and get back at those miscreants!"

Milo sighed once again, palming his forehead in annoyance. "Yes, that's great and all but like I said, Adam is overseeing things now." He stated, noticing one of Blake's cat ears flinch and turn in his direction at the mention of the White Fang leader's name, even though she wasn't listening to the conversation in the slightest. Rolling his eyes, he returned his focused to the young heiress. "Since he's there, the whole operation would be far more dangerous than it's worth."

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and all of team CMSN sat together at the corner of a secluded, yet brightly-lit warehouse at the edge of the city. It had become the chosen place for training, with minimal to no civilian interference and few people who would care about a bit of damaged property. After getting Yang on her feet and training her with her prosthetic for the better part of the morning, he asked the others to join him for a training session of their own.

Unfortunately, team JNPR all said they were preoccupied. Jaune and Pyrrha were spending the day looking for, as Jaune put it, 'the right people.' While he didn't exactly know that that meant, he dismissed it as unimportant. Ren wanted to go to a library outside of town, and Nora refused to go anywhere without him. That left the three remaining members of team RWBY, along with CMSN and their newest addition, Neo.

Rather than training, they had been arguing for the past hour.

Most of them were all for reclaiming the Schnee Dust Company's lost property or getting back at the White Fang, but Milo and Cade were both worried that doing so without an effective plan would be a death sentence.

"Then what do you suggest, Milo? I mean there has to be something we can do to make it happen!" the young heiress exclaimed.

"Well, we'd have to distract Adam somehow," he responded with a shrug. "The problem is that there isn't much he can't either ignore or deal with extremely quickly. To be completely honest I'm at a loss here."

"He isn't easily distracted, and his frustration gives him focus," Blake said, suddenly adding her own piece into the conversation.

"Why the sudden interest, Blake? It's almost as if you want to see him," the avian teased, earning him a venomous, cat-eyed glare.

"OH! OH! THAT GIVES ME AN IDEA!" Ruby screamed, leaping to her feet. She pointed directly at Blake and hopped with excitement. "You can go talk to him!"

Blake's eyes widened and she nearly panicked, "W-What? Ruby that's not a very-"

"I'M NOT DONE!" the reaper yelled, then slowly pointed at Milo. "You can pretend to be her boyfriend to make Adam mad!"

"WHAT!?" Blake shrieked, nearly losing her book as she jumped up. "Ruby, that is a terrible idea! Besides, Adam wouldn't care who I'm with anyway!"

"Oh come on Blake, you two spent years with each other! There's no way he didn't like you," she said, then snickered, "Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago that you told me you guys used to-"

"RUBY!" the young faunus squealed in a panic, her eyes wide with terror. "That was between you and me! _Only_ you and me!"

Gabe immediately threw an elbow into Mike's ribs. "Told you so. Pay up man, fifty lien." With a disappointed groan, the teleporter pulled out his wallet and handed his brother what he owed while Milo suppressed a laugh and Cade sighed in disappointment.

"Well maybe you shouldn't leave you're diary sitting out on the desk for someone with irresistible curiosity to pick it up!" Ruby countered.

"I locked the door for a reason!" Blake hissed, her ears sweeping back as she grew more frustrated.

Milo gained everyone's attention with a not-so-subtle cough, then stood from his seat and started circling the group. "Well, as abhorrent and terrible of an idea as it is… It actually might work. Adam has been known to be partial to you and he definitely hates me, so I suppose he would have reason to get upset."

"No!" Blake voiced angrily, "I wouldn't even consider _pretending_ to be with _him_!" she exclaimed, pointing harshly in his direction.

"Okay first of all, ouch..." Milo said with a sly grin, "and second, how are we supposed to get him to listen to us without attacking on sight?"

The cat faunus groaned, knowing that they weren't going to back down and this really was the only thing productive they could to right now. No matter how distasteful, it would be worth it in the long run. "He won't attack. I know how we can talk to him..." she said, rubbing her temples as if a headache were coming on.

"So you'll do it?!" the young reaper squealed. "Ooooh I can't wait! This is gonna be awesome!"

Cade jumped up before everyone dashed off to gather their equipment and yelled for them to stop. "We need to have a plan in place, guys. We can't just go in guns blazing or something _will_ go wrong." The group slowly sat back down, everyone thinking of a viable strategy to go after the Schnee Dust.

"Where are we going anyway?" one of the twins asked Milo, who pulled a map from one of his seemingly countless pockets and started marking the entrances to the underground cave system at the base of a nearby mountain range.

"The full camp is to the north, past this mountain here. The warehouses are actually in a cave system under the mountain, on round-the-clock guard. It's most heavily guarded to the north entrance here, but there are still protected entrances to the south and east, right next to the main warehouse facility. The only way to get in undetected is to the west, but then you'd have to go straight through the barracks to get to the Dust. Cargo Bullheads can enter through a small ridge near the peak of the mountain, but trekking up there would take a full day."

Cade watched carefully as he noted each position, doing his best to formulate a plan. "Okay, hopefully the distraction with Adam will attract some people from the barracks. That way we could try and get past them quickly."

"But what will we do to get out?" Weiss questioned, "Once we grab the dust, how are we supposed to get it back here?"

Ruby tapped her chin for a few seconds, an idea quickly coming to mind. "Can any of you guys fly a Bullhead?" she asked, watching hopefully for someone speak up. The only person to raise their hand was Neo. "There we go! We'll just load up a bullhead with as much Dust as we can, and fly our way back here!"

Cade looked at Milo, eyes searching for some kind of assurance. The young faunus simply shrugged, "What? It has a good chance of working. If we want to get back Dust, this is probably the best way to do it."

The young leader took a deep breath, feeling the nervousness swell in his heart. "Well, I guess we better get ready then."

The teams determined that an hour to prepare for the raid would be enough. Everyone spent their time checking weapon mechanisms, ammo, and went over Cade's plan a few hundred times to make sure they knew each of their parts.

Cadence knew it would be difficult and dangerous, but it could set the White Fang back by a substantial margin, so it had to be done. In a small dressing room outside of Haven, he put his armor on slowly and methodically to help ease his nerves, Neo helping him with some of the hard to reach places.

He grunted as one of the straps on his back was given a harsh jerk. He ignored it at first, until Neo shifted to his front, tugging on the belts at his neck with a deep frown. The young man sighed at her grim expression, "We don't have to do it this way, you know."

She blinked, her mismatched eyes switching colors as she started treating his armor a little more gently now that she realized what she was doing. Brushing a few strands of brown hair out of her eyes, she looked up at him with slight annoyance. "We can figure out another plan, one with less risk-" he was interrupted when she shoved him back, forcing him down into a chair at his desk. The multi-colored girl pointed at herself, then placed one hand on her heart and the other on his, and finished by pointing at him.

 _I trust you._

"Okay," he responded, raising his hands to adjust Neo's collar. She caught his fingers with her own, silently drifting forward and into his lap while guiding his hands around her waist. The young woman leaned forward and rested her chin on his shoulder, pressing the curves of her petite frame against him and sighing in contentment.

Cade easily lifted Neo off his lap, earning a pouting sneer from the young woman as she stood and took a few paces back. He smiled and started to hum a quiet tune, her eyes softening and a smile growing at the corners of her lips when she recognized it as the first song they danced to when they first met. She leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her, slowly dancing throughout the dimly lit room, losing themselves in each other. The act brought back the memory of the Beacon dance, when they had been simple strangers simply trying to enjoy themselves.

Ever since she could remember, Neo had been involved with criminals. She had stolen from people, raided family homes, even killed whenever Roman had told her to do so. Cade was an escape from it all; a pinch of happiness in an otherwise hellish life.

To be honest, she didn't expect their relationship to grow beyond the physical. He was a kind young man, very easy on the eyes, and always treated her the way a woman should; with kindness, respect, and… and love. Over time, she grew to depend upon the time they spent together, away from all the criminals and killers.

He gave her the only taste of a normal life she's ever had.

When Adam and Roman told her that he was getting in the way and had to be disposed of, she couldn't bring herself to do it. He was a part of her life now, a part that she could hardly live without.

As she relished in his warmth and comfort, Neo felt a twinge of fear stab at her heart. They were about to infiltrate a White Fang base. While it wasn't filled with the elite fighters, there were still bound to be a handful of lieutenants that even she would have trouble dealing with.

If Cade were to fight them… there's no way he would survive.

She clutched him tighter, her heart plummeting deep into her chest. What would she do if she lost him? It would be like living on her own again, barely scraping by each and every day. There would be nowhere to go, no one to fight for, no reason to continue. She shook her head and pulled away, quickly picking up Cade's heavy shield with a huff and holding it out to him.

"Thanks," he said, finishing by checking the revolver at his hip. "Are you ready?"

Neo nodded, her brow furrowed and her heart growing heavy. If it came down to it, she would do everything it takes to make sure he survives. Her eyes shifted to a shade of angry red as she clenched her teeth and had a white-knuckled grip on the handle of her parasol.

She swore to stick to him like glue, and no one will lay a finger on him without getting through her first.

* * *

"This is literally the worst idea Ruby has ever come up with," Blake grumbled as she stepped past the confused glances of a few dozen White Fang members.

"Ah, come on _honey_. We need to talk to the psychopathic terrorist," Milo teased, a wide grin on his face. "We should probably make it quick, that way we can get home to the kids before dinner. Are you cooking tonight or I gonna have to call aunt Ruby and have her make cookies for everyone?"

"… I hate you," the young woman groaned as he chuckled to himself, her face turning bright red out of anger and embarrassment. This torment had been going on for hours, and had Blake nearly ready to tear out his throat. Unfortunately, doing so would certainly not play out well with the countless number of White Fang members currently staring at the 'couple' as they made their way to Adam's tent.

The grass had been trampled to the ground, creating a large clearing for the Fang to keep their tents. They had become accustomed to living in such a manner, unable to hide their operations when inside Kingdom walls for very long. The late afternoon sun burned hot, beating down on the damp ground and heating the unbearably humid air.

Her ears twitched at the whispers between those in the growing crowd, catching a phrase here and there. Not to her surprise, they recognized both of them, though the things they said of Milo were a bit more hostile. The words 'traitor' and 'murderer' came up often. By Milo's grim expression, he heard a few whispers as well.

"Blake? Blake Belladonna?" a voice called from the growing masses, a few faunus parting to make way for a young woman of small stature and bright red hair. She had an attractive hourglass figure, the graceful movements of a temptress, a pair of fox ears atop her head and a bushy red tail, both of which were tipped with white fur. She removed her mask as she approached, her smile growing wide as her blue eyes met Blake's and she dashed forward to embrace her long lost friend.

"Cinna?!" Blake laughed in surprise and returned her enthusiastic hug. "I thought you went back to Vacuo."

"Yeah, and I thought I'd never see you again!" she exclaimed, pulling away and gently holding her hands. "It's so good to see you, Blake. We've missed you."

"And I, you," Blake said, then peered over the small girl's shoulder. "Where's Hama? I'd like to see her too, if I could." The young woman flinched at the name, biting her lip with a hint of pain in her eyes. She simply shook her head with a frown, and Blake sighed. "Oh. I'm sorry..."

After an awkward pause, Cinna tapped her on the shoulder, "So are you back? Are you staying with us again?"

Blake shook her head somberly, "No, unfortunately I'm here on business. I have a message for Adam from my father."

"Ugh… sounds boring." Her gaze fell on Milo, eyes widening and a predatory grin growing on her lips. He raised a questioning eyebrow at the hungry gleam in her eyes. "So who's your big-muscled friend here, hmm?" She asked, making sure to give him her most seductive smile.

The raven-haired huntress cleared her throat, "This is Milo; Someone I met in Vale."

The fox faunus gasped and whirled around, a look of excitement on her face. "Ooooh! Is this a _special_ someone?" Blake smiled sheepishly and nodded slowly, not wanting to blow their cover. The young woman squealed, hugging them both together as tightly as she could manage before letting go a few moments later.

"Hate to cut this short, but we should get a move on, Blake. Time is running short," Milo urged, nudging her toward Adam's tent at the center of camp.

"Aww..." Cinna pouted, then released a long sigh. "I was hoping to see you for a bit longer. Either way, it was good seeing you, Blake." She turned on her heel and started to leave, but looked back. "Hey Milo." He looked in her direction with a furrowed brow, quickly growing impatient with the young woman. "If you get bored of her, you know where to find me," she said with a sly grin and turned away, her hips and tail teasingly swaying back and forth.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, immediately resuming the walk to the center of camp as the crowd started to disperse. Blake hid her gaze from him, embarrassed of the way her friend had acted. "Sorry… She's always been addicted to attention."

A long pause filled the air, before he sighed. "What are you going to do if you meet her on the battlefield?" he asked in a low whisper.

She pursed her lips, not giving an answer. If it came to a battle she would defend herself like any Huntress would… but there is no way she would ever intentionally harm a friend.

* * *

As the team reached the base of the mountain that contained the White Fang's base of operations, butterflies gathered in Cade's stomach. A hundred things could go wrong, but luckily they had the element of surprise.

Still, Neo had not been gentle when she tied all their wrists to a long rope so it would look like they were her prisoners. As a final touch, Weiss had the 'genius' idea of having their mouths taped shut. Admittedly, their disguise was convincing, but left the long walk toward the large cave entrance at the south a quiet and anxiety-filled walk of shame.

They had also piled their weapons onto a makeshift sled made from some sticks, more rope, and a large piece of treebark. Neo dragged the sled behind her the whole way there, trying to keep up the deception until it was no longer needed.

When they came to the mouth of the cave, three masked guards approached from the depths with their weapons raised. Before any of them spoke, Neo stepped forward like she owned the place and shoved her scroll in the hand of a burly-looking Ram faunus that was likely the sergeant of this location.

The man glossed over the hastily-typed summary before turning to his comrades. "She was with that Torchwick guy from Vale. Says she captured these guys just outside of the base."

"They look like they were ready to fight an army," another guard observed, eyeing the impressive amount of ammunition and weapons piled onto the sled.

The third faunus had a twitching lion's tail, swinging every which way as he thought out loud. "Maybe they were about to attack. I mean we only have a handful of men guarding right now- Ow!"

"Don't talk about what we have and don't have in front of Hunters! They could be spying, damn it!" the leader exclaimed, pinching his nose in frustration. "Just take them to the brig before they find anything else out."

He handed back the scroll and reached for the rope when Neo slapped his hand aside, giving him a dangerous glare. After gaining his attention, she rubbed the fingers of her free hand together and held her hand out expectantly, waiting to collect on some form of bounty for turning in the infiltrators.

The guard sighed and shook his head, "We don't have much in the way of cash, but we've got plenty of supplies." He pointed a thumb to the left of the cave, "The place is almost filled to the brim with Dust, so take whatever you can carry and I'll take care of this," he said as he again reached for the rope, this time Neo releasing them. The ram then handed the rope to one of his subordinates, ordering one of them to take the group to the cells and add the weapons to the pile while the other tells the commander of the new arrivals.

"If any of you give me any trouble, you'll be tasting the dirt," the guard threatened as he tugged on the rope, pulling them all toward the cave entrance. Cade ignored him, instead watching Neo as she strolled inside. Just before she rounded the corner, she glanced back at him with a worried expression. He reached up and crossed his heart, promising that everything would be okay, making her nod and turn back inside.

They got a good look of the inside layout of the base as they were pressed toward the cells, seeing the cave open into a massive cavern under the mountain, held up by stone pillars that littered the inside of the cave. To the left was an area gated off from the rest, the space he knew was the warehouse, which was connected to the other entrances and contained a small landing pad for Bullheads that could get in from the ravine at the break of the mountain peak.

He noted from the corner of his eye that the one guard was right; few people were here right now, with more and more of them leaving through the north entrance by the minute. He didn't know if this was due to Blake and Milo, who no doubt just arrived at the camp to the north where nearly all of the White Fang members gathered for routine daily events and planning. At least, that's what Milo said.

A few minutes later they reached their destination; a small collection of iron jail cells built to hold you're average criminal... Not exactly what you would call 'Huntsman proof.' Just as the guard opened the metal door, Cade saw a flash of blue light behind him. In an instant, Mike threw a heavy punch into the back of the guard's head, knocking him unconscious before he even hit the ground.

The young man ripped the tape off his mouth and reached down, gripping the hilt of his sword. With a series of bright flashes, everyone's bindings were cut in a few seconds time. Everyone started tearing off the tape, sounding a few grunts of pain.

Hilariously enough, Weiss was having trouble actually getting hers off until Ruby used her lightening-quick semblance to rip it from her lips before she could stop her. "Ooowwwww…." they young heiress cried as she covered her injured lips and tears welled in her eyes.

"Sorry, Weiss," Ruby said, giving her partner a quick hug and handing over her rapier. "We need to be quick so let's get going!" she excitedly whispered.

Once the weapons and ammo were gathered, the group moved as quickly and quietly as they could toward the warehouse, silently taking down every guard they came across with a sweeping blade or a powerful choke hold.

Cade let out a sigh of relief when he saw a stationary Bullhead inside the fenced in area of the cave, right next to a dozen shipping crates of Dust labeled with the Schnee family emblem. Built into the ceiling of the cave was a crane system to help in moving the large crates around. They would probably have to commandeer it in order to move the Dust around.

He noticed Neo out of the corner of his eye, shifting through a large pile of dust vials and canisters. Her gaze flickered toward them for a moment, then she immediately started moving toward the Bullhead while the others cleared the rest of the warehouse.

Along the way, he noticed a large gate that led to a different section of the cave. It stood at least twenty feet tall and was chained shut with what looked like the absurdly thick chain of a ship's anchor. Curious, he looked for a different entrance, a small door to the right that seemed to go to the same area. Thankfully the door was unlocked, but what he found inside was certainly not what he expected.

The cavern stretched back nearly a hundred feet and housed two extremely large trucks that both had thick armor plating, a plow covering the front grill and bumper, mounted weapons, and each had a very long trailer hitched to the back. They looked like machines of war, built to bulldoze through anything that got in their way. To top it all off, the keys for both trucks were on a desk right next to the door.

A devious smile grew on his face. For someone in his position, wouldn't it be prudent to relieve them of these machines? Perhaps he could modify his original plan to steal these two huge trucks rather than one standard Bullhead.

He quickly ran out of the garage and brought the group together once the area was secure, letting them know of his new plan. "Guys, there are two huge trucks in a garage over there. We could get three times the amount of supplies out of here if we use them, so I think we should."

Ruby blinked, one concern on her mind. "Okay, but who's gonna drive? They're probably too big for me, Weiss, and Neo."

"Gabe and I can drive, but they probably won't like us stealing their trucks," Cade answered, having already thought of the problem ahead of time. "Everyone else will have to hold them all off while we drive to Mistral."

Gabriel gave the dust cartridge on his wrist a spin, sending bright electric sparks down the edge of his saber. "We better get started then, before someone notices that we're here."

The crew set Mike as the lookout while they got to work on trying to break the massive chain on the garage door. After some thought, Weiss decided to use Dust to freeze the metal to the point of making it brittle, then with a sweep of Ruby's scythe the chain shattered into pieces.

They piled inside, Gabe giving a slight whistle at the impressiveness of the two rigs. They checked fuel levels, and after finding them both full, Gabe and Cade climbed up into the driver's seats. "They're probably gonna hear these so we only have a couple minutes to load the Dust," Cade declared. "We'll exit the same way we came in, okay?"

Gabe nodded in the affirmative, so the young leader turned to look at Neo. "Do you think you can operate that crane?" She put a finger to her lips to think for a moment, then shrugged. "Hopefully you can figure it out. We need you to put two crates on each trailer." The young woman nodded and ran off to find the controls.

The moment she sent him a message saying that she was ready, he put a hand on the ignition. "Alright, from here on out, we have less than five minutes. Stay focused, fast, and fierce." With a flick of his wrist the powerful engine roared to life, a loud rumble echoing through the deep caverns of the mountain.

* * *

Blake shook her head into focus, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves as they came up to Adam's tent. The faunus must've heard them coming, because when they reached the canvas he called out to them, "What is it? I've got a lot to do so make it quick."

"Adam," she called, just loudly enough for him to hear.

A short, silent pause followed, likely the result of his stunned surprise at hearing her voice. The entryway was pushed aside as he swiftly exited the small tent, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. "Blake?" he tentatively stepped toward her unable to hide his surprise. He looked her up and down, seeing that she was whole and healthy. "You… When did you get here?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the rapid footsteps of a mouse-like young boy running up to the White Fang leader. "Sir! I have something important to-"

"Not now, Jiro," Adam interrupted, waving the courier away.

"But sir! Someone is trying to-" Blake tensed up as the boy spoke, knowing that their entire operation could go up in flames in a matter of seconds.

"I said not now! I'll take care of it later!" he yelled, making the boy huff and step away.

"I need to speak with you, Blake" he said with urgency, reaching to pull her inside the tent.

"Not without me," Milo said, stepping forward and spreading his wings in a challenge.

Adam's brow furrowed in anger as his gaze fell on the young avian. He glared at him with disdain, the only visible portions of his face locked in a harsh frown. "Why are _you_ here?"

"I go where she goes," Milo replied, turning in Blake's direction. "Isn't that right, sweetheart?" he asked, scratching behind her cat ears with a smile. Catching her completely off guard, her ears drooped and her eyes lost focus, until she snapped back into reality and smacked his hand away, her cheeks burning bright red.

The raven-haired faunus had to fight every instinct in her body to keep her from lashing at him, smacking him in the face and scratching his eyes out. Touching anywhere near her ears was completely off limits! Touching her _at all_ was off limits! How did he know her ears were that sensitive anyway? It had to be Yang… she was the only one from Beacon who knew about it when Blake purred in her sleep when the brawler scratched at her ears.

She looked back at Adam, who wore an expression she could only describe as disappointment. "Really? Of all the people… him?" he asked her, an eyebrow raised in annoyance.

"Yes, him. Since when did you care?" she sneered, holding true to Ruby's plan for reasons she couldn't comprehend.

The man growled through his teeth, his hair and the red details in his black clothing starting to glow. "Big Bird here isn't exactly someone you would consider 'mentally sound'."

"'Big Bird'?!" Milo spat, a hand flashing to the hilt of one of his blades.

Before negotiations could crumble before they even began, Blake held a hand up to Milo and stepped between them both. "I'm here to represent my father on behalf of the free people of Menagerie," she said firmly, making Adam raise his eyebrows in surprise once again.

After staring in her direction for a few seconds trying to read her stoic expression, he shook his head. "You didn't… You didn't reconsider your choice of leaving?"

"No Adam, I won't be returning to the White Fang," she declared pursing her lips in annoyance.

He ran his fingers through his hair, clenching his hand in barely hidden frustration. "What is this message from your father, then?"

Blake took a deep breath, remembering the lie she had rehearsed for the past few hours. "Ghira Belladonna, Chieftain of Menagerie, would like to congratulate you on your promotion to High Commander of the White Fang. However, he regrets to announce that because your connections with the attack on the Kingdom of Vale, you and the White Fang are henceforth barred from the Kingdom of Menagerie. He hopes that one day you will see the error of your actions and seek redemption."

Adam seemed distracted as she spoke, his eyes flicking back and forth between her and Milo. He simply couldn't believe that they were together, yet there they were! Shaking his head back into focus, he closed his eyes and sighed in disappointment. "And here I thought you might be here for personal reasons. Instead, you're just a messenger."

Blake cleared her throat, curiosity eating at her. She wanted to know what he wanted to tell her, but they couldn't blow their cover just yet. "You said you wanted to speak with me. What was it you wanted to say?" she asked, trying not to seem too interested.

"I…" his head twitched, likely eyeing the avian faunus. After a moment, he let out an exasperated sigh and waved them under the tent. "We need to be quiet, so come in here and keep your voice down." They listened, quickly entering and seating themselves in a small circle around a small table at the center of the tent.

Once seated, Adam cleared his throat. "Blake, I need to apologize for how I acted in Vale," he said in a hushed voice. "You have to understand, I was being watched the entire time! Cinder wasn't the actual mastermind of the attack; It was something much, _much_ worse. If I showed any sign of weakness, she would've destroyed everything we've worked so hard to build for Faunus on Remnant! I couldn't let that happen," he said, bowing his head before he finished. "Please forgive me, Blake."

Needless to say, Blake was speechless. A new threat? One that they had no clue even existed, that had enough power to make Adam speak in fear like that. "Slow down, Adam… Who are you talking about?"

"I can't say any more, Blake; Her eyes and ears are everywhere," he said. "Just know that there is something worse out there than that Schnee bastard. She's helping me take him off his pedestal, but once that's done we might have to go after her," he thought aloud to himself.

"It's getting harder and harder to figure out who to trust, I suppose," Milo added.

"Funny you should mention that," Adam countered, lips locked in a deep frown.

Suddenly, the young boy from earlier burst inside the tent. His eyes were wide and his breathing heavy as he looked up at Adam. "Sir, someone is stealing the war rigs!"

He whirled around at Blake, eyebrows furrowed with rage. "Did you have something to do with this?!"

Before she could respond, Milo stepped between them. "So what if we did?"

The scrape of metal on metal sounded as the two young men drew their swords, and shower of sparks sprayed as a clash of blades echoed through the camp.

* * *

 _ **Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.**_

 **-Revelation 3:10**

* * *

 **I just occurred to me that this story has been going on for a full year now. Thank you everyone for all your support; It keeps me going!**

 **Thanks a million,**

 **JonesyUSA**


	18. Consequences

The Fall Project

War

Consequences

* * *

Blake drew her sword and charged forward to stand between the two raging fighters. There was more information she needed, especially about the hidden threat that Adam hinted at a just few moments before. As she neared, she was stopped by a sudden face-full of golden feathers. She was forced back by one of Milo's wings as he caught Adams blade with a pair of his own.

"Stay back or you'll get yourself hurt," he demanded, then shoved forward with all of his might.

Adam defended by ducking under his slash and cutting one of the tent supports, making the heavy canvas fall. The red-haired faunus sliced upwards and slipped through the cut he made, snarling when he saw the tent canvas suddenly reduced to ribbons by Milo's swords. They lunged for each other once more; a dance of deadly weapons and near-instant reflexes.

To the untrained eye, they would both be a blur of lightening quick slashes, stabs, and dodges that could barely be seen. Blake followed along easily, but every time she tried to intervene she was pushed aside by Milo.

She grit her teeth in frustration. "Both of you stop it right now!" Oddly enough, her outburst did make them stop fighting, if just for a moment.

"Do you have any idea what kind of man he is, Blake?" Adam asked her, clear frustration in his voice. "He's a murderer and a traitor, and not a single thing he says or does can be trusted!"

"What are you talking about?" she questioned, trying to understand his meaning.

Adam pointed accusingly at Milo, "The only reason I was promoted is because Cinder went looking for this scum and never came back!"

Blake shook her head in confusion, turning to Milo for an explanation. She nearly jumped upon seeing the deadly rage in his eyes, his face contorted in a hateful glare directed solely at Adam. There was something primal in the fire in his eyes; a subverted bloodlust that she never realized he could be capable of.

Fire licked the tips of the feathers on his wings as he crouched low and lunged at the man, who met his attack with a twitch of his wrist and the harsh clang of metal meeting metal. Adam kicked at the avian's exposed belly, throwing him back several feet before countering with a dash of his own. A billowing stream of liquid fire flew from Milo's fingertips, bathing the White Fang commander in searing heat. Blake squinted through the intense flame and bright light, seeing Adam absorbing the attack with his half-drawn blade and his hair glowing bright red as he gathered the destructive energy.

Seeing that he was not damaging his opponent, Milo reached one hand to his belt and unclipped a small Dust cylinder, pressing a button on the cap to ignite the fuel inside. He tossed the canister into the air, letting it catch on the invisible fingers of his semblance and hang suspended above their heads; a white-hot ball of flame growing more intense for each moment that passed. There was the sound of a loud pop, followed by a high pitched whistle as the canister ruptured. He released his grip on both the canister and the stream of hellfire aimed at Adam, then leaped back and shielded Blake with his wings as the object started to fall.

With a roar of frustration and anger, Adam fully drew his weapon and charged, slashing at Milo with fluid precision. Before his blade could sink deep into the man's flesh, the makeshift bomb touched the ground and exploded.

The blue-white flash of a combination of electric and fire dust vaporized what little remained of the vegetation around the center of camp, and set fire to any tent that stood in the general vicinity. Adam was thrown back, digging his blade into the ground to slow himself down. Half-blind and disoriented from the flash, he could do little more than hold his sword at guard and wait for some sort of attack to come his way.

From under the protection of his golden wings, Blake felt the infernal heat skirt past her arms and legs, watching in perplexed astonishment as the grass below her feet burned away, the newly-scorched ground starting to dry up and fracture. When the heat faded she pushed upwards and shoved Milo away from her, worriedly searching to see if Adam had been injured. When she saw him stumbling against a tree several dozen feet away, she started to step forward.

Suddenly, two powerful arms scooped her up from behind and she felt a powerful gust of wind as Milo surged into the air with a beat of his wings. She struggled against his grip despite their growing altitude. "What are you doing, Milo?! We can learn more from him!" she yelled over the wind, beating against his chest as they rose to the heavens.

"He's not in the mood to talk anymore," the young man responded, shifting her around so she couldn't squirm out of his grasp.

"No thanks to you!" Blake yelled, slapping a hand across his cheek for good measure. "Put me down already!"

Milo ignored her, beating his wings faster as they started to descend, the combined weight of the two of them too much to stay aloft for long. After a few dozen fear-inducing seconds, Blake started to go over the information that she had gotten from Adam. He had said there was a greater threat, someone pulling the strings in this overthrow of the modern world.

It wasn't much, but at least now they knew. She paused as a thought occurred; a detail that she previously overlooked coming to the forefront of her mind.

"Lean back and push your feet forward," Milo ordered as he pulled up slightly, making them start to fall to the ground. "I said lean back!" he yelled, just a moment too late.

They flipped forward, rolling several feet on the hard ground before skidding to a stop. Blake leaped to her feet, distancing herself from Milo and wiping off any dirt or dust that clung to her clothing. "Would it hurt for you to work on your landings a little more?"

"Well I've never had to carry someone before, so take it easy, would you?" he argued, resting on a fallen log at the edge of the small clearing.

When she had a moment to gather her thoughts, Blake's eyebrows furrowed, knowing that she had to ask him a question. "Milo, why was Adam so upset that you killed Cinder? She isn't a Faunus, so he shouldn't care."

His normally stone-faced expression twisted into a dark frown, and he sighed. After clearing his throat with a grunt, he began explaining with a remorseful tone. "My real mother's maiden name was Angela Fall. Cinder's given name is Cinder Aurelius. She changed her name when her entire family died of mysterious circumstances while she was attending Haven."

Blake's eyes widened in shock as the dots connected in her mind, her jaw dropping open in astonishment as Milo revealed one of his deepest, darkest secrets. "Cinder… was your sister?"

He answered with a hesitant nod, failing to ignore the look of vile disgust on her face.

* * *

"Would you take it easy?!" Weiss yelled from the roof of the trailer, doing her best to keep her balance as the truck surged to the side once again.

"No can do, Princess!" Gabriel called from the cabin of the truck, chuckling to himself. "Gotta keep these guys off us!"

She huffed and looked back, watching as Ruby and Mike used their weapons to fire on the fast approaching vehicles. Because of Gabe's erratic driving, aiming was difficult and only a few attackers were stopped before many more reached the trailer. As the truck swerved left once again to block one car, two more revved their engines and sped to the right, one driving up to the front of Cade's truck while the other pulled behind it.

Weiss ignored those two, knowing that Neo could handle anyone that might reach Cade. Instead, she prepared for her own fight as several White Fang troops leaped onto the trailer. "We've got company!" Ruby called over the loud roar of the engines and wind. She brandished her scythe when three faunus climbed up onto the trailer, slicing down to make them lose their footing.

The young heiress joined the battle, but quickly found that every time she fought one faunus off, a few more took it's place. It wasn't until then that she realized they were quickly being overwhelmed. Gabe couldn't knock all the cars off the road, and when Ruby and Mike stopped shooting it gave them free reign to come up and drop off more boarders.

"You guys keep fighting, I'm gonna get some of these cars off our back!" Mike yelled, then jumped off the back of the trailer with a holler of joy. In a flash of blue he teleported to the hood of nearest vehicle and stabbed deep into the engine block, making the car sputter and stall. He shut down a dozen vehicles before the White Fang caught on and started sending one brave person onto the hood of each vehicle to pose a challenge for him.

As fast as Mike worked, it still wasn't enough to hold them all at bay.

Gabe stomped on the clutch and slapped the stick into high gear, making the engine groan in protest. He followed closely behind Cadence, checking his mirrors when he heard an oncoming White Fang vehicle approaching from behind. On the left he saw a white truck with what looked like a large caliber machine gun anchored to the bed. The much faster vehicle zoomed forward to get in front of Gabe.

The young Huntsman leaned out the window and angrily waved his hand. "Hey, I'm drivin' here! Do you mind?!" he yelled, then swerved to the left. The trailer smacked against the side truck, sending it careening off road and into the thick treeline. A loud crunch of twisting metal confirmed that the vehicle was no longer following.

One thickly armored van made it through the mess, charging forward and making its way in front of Gabe. When the young man saw the back doors open, his eyes widened when a massive hulk of a man revealed himself, brandishing a humongous chainsaw.

"Oh boy..." Gabe huffed as the White Fang lieutenant gave a wicked grin as he revved the motor and started grinding away at the engine. He stomped on the pedal, surging forward and sandwiching the van between the two trucks. The chainsaw-wielding faunus was thrown atop the cabin as the van crumpled, lost control and turned sideways. The vehicle tipped over and rolled as Gabe's spiked bumper repeatedly smashed it to pieces until it was finally knocked aside.

With the attacker out of sight, Gabriel let out a sigh of relief now that his vehicle was no longer being assaulted by a chainsaw-wielding maniac. Not two seconds later, he heard the deafening grind of metal being sheared away just above his left ear. "AAAAAHHH!" he shrieked, ducking down to escape the deadly weapon.

Noticing the disturbance, Weiss turned toward the front of the truck to see a familiar Faunus attacking the cabin. With little time to left to act, she formed a glyph with a wave of her hand and pulled harshly back, violently forcing the man to stumble back and turn his attention to her instead.

His mouth contorted into a crooked smile when he regarded the heiress. "I remember you, Schnee," he accusingly declared, his voice laced with hatred. "This time… I'll finish the job!"

"Weiss!" Ruby called out, "We can take him on together!"

The young heiress turned and gave her partner a determined look. "No, Ruby. I can handle him; just keep protecting the dust!"

Ruby pursed her lips in concern, but nodded her head and turned her attention back to the would-be attackers.

When Weiss next looked upon her opponent, it was with determination and focus. She saw the unnamed thousands of Vale citizens, people that lost their chance at life when it was viciously taken from them by disgusting creatures; just like this White Fang Lieutenant. When they fought on the train so long ago, Weiss was prideful and naive, ultimately leading to her defeat. This time, however, she was ready to dig deep and bring out everything she had to offer.

With practiced finesse and precision, she brandished her weapon and lunged forward, narrowly ducking below a sweep aimed for her neck. Well within his range of attack, she made three quick jabs at his thick armor before having to roll to the right to avoid a powerful overhead strike. The foul smell of gasoline made her grit her teeth and push harder, using her glyphs to bolster the speed and damage of each strike.

Within moments, all other things fell away as she focused on one singular goal; the defeat of this one adversary. Each of his attacks were dodged or redirected, then followed up by several attacks of her own. She dominated the fight, pushing the man closer and closer to the edge of the trailer with each powerful thrust of her rapier that bounced harmlessly off the man's aura.

Enraged by the heiress' unexpected combat prowess, the lieutenant bellowed and reached forward with an outstretched hand, hoping to catch her off guard like the last time they fought. Instead, she spun in a tight circle, batting his hand aside and throwing him off balance.

Just as she finished the motion and crouched low beneath the man's form, Weiss cried out and thrust upward with all of her might.

Both she and the lieutenant gasped as the tip of her sword pierced through his armor, penetrating deep through the man's abdomen and into his heart.

The chainsaw slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground, and he gurgled as he fell to his knees and gripped Weiss' arm with one shaking hand. "You… How did..." he coughed, blood starting to spill from his mouth.

The heiress was in shock. She merely stared at the lieutenant in disbelief as he slowly pulled the sword from his side with a sickening _schlick_ , the visible contours of his face twisted in pure agony. When the thin blade finally pulled free, the heiress took a step back, unable to look away from the dark crimson liquid that dripped from the tip of her weapon.

When she looked back at her opponent, she knew that he was defeated. He lacked the strength to stand any longer, staying knelt to the ground and clutching his side as his lifeblood quickly slipped between his fingers. Chest heaving with each breath, he reached up and removed his mask.

His eyes were a deep brown, dark and filled with a willful rage. He truly _despised_ her, through and through, for no other reason than the fact that her last name was Schnee. The hatred in his glare burned into her heart, until the fire in his eyes died and he fell from the top of the truck to meet the fast-moving ground below.

Weiss shuddered, wondering what she could have done to deserve this hatred. What did her family do? All her life she hated the White Fang for the atrocities she had witnessed against her family… but what was the true cause of all this suffering?

She thought she would be proud of defeating a lieutenant of the White Fang, but instead there was only a noxious lump in her throat; an urge to vomit that took all her will to stifle. She took a deep breath and pushed all of the terrible images and thoughts to the back of her mind, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand. There would be time for reflections and consequences later.

"We're almost there!" Ruby yelled, firing a few more times at the remaining vehicles that relentlessly chased them. "Once we get past the bridge they should back off, right?" she questioned, turning to Mike.

"Supposedly. At that point we would be in range to call for help from Mistral," he answered. A few moments later, he noticed a glint, something shining over the treetops. "Wait a minute..." He squinted, searching for the cause. Another shimmer caught his attention, the waves of jetwash from a Bullhead moving at top speed. As it came closer, he noticed the long tubes of rocket launchers attached to the underside of each wing.

"Oh, that is _not_ good," he said to himself, then glanced at the front of the first truck to make a short teleport to Cade's door. "We've got company, buddy. Looks like a gunship on the way, so things will probably get hairy."

The young leader heartily laughed, "There isn't anything this baby can't handle!"

"Just keep things going, alright?" Mike quipped, then moved back to the second truck.

"The cars are backing off!" Ruby yelled over the howling wind. Merely seconds later, a rocket hissed just to the left of the truck and exploded, thrashing the trailer to the right and throwing Weiss, Mike, and Ruby off their feet.

While Ruby and Weiss managed to stay on top of the truck, Mike bounced hard off the steel, quickly grabbing the edge with an outstretched hand. He grit his teeth and looked back at the Bullhead, brandishing his machine gun with one hand.

"Alright… None of that!" he yelled as a second volley of rockets came their way. With a pull of the trigger, he let loose a whirlwind of fiery mayhem, making several rockets explode mid-air. The remaining bullets bounced harmlessly off of the bullhead's armor, then it swept to the right of the two trucks and rotated to fire on them with the chin turret.

"Take cover!" Mike yelled at Weiss and Ruby, who both swung over the edge and held on for their lives as the loud, repetitive crack of the weapon pierced their ears. Thankfully, the trailer absorbed most of the attack until the Bullhead pulled away and sped off to make another strafing run. The three young Hunters climbed back up onto the top of the trailer, giving themselves a precious breath to settle their nerves.

"Hey, Red," Mike called, making Ruby turn to look at him. "This is bad..." he declared, gritting his teeth in pain as he pulled his bloodied hand from the wound at his side.

The young leader's heart plummeted in her chest, and she started frantically moving to get him to safety. He grunted when she helped him to his feet and guided the way toward the cabin of the truck, taking a moment to rest while she held the door open for him to climb inside.

Ruby nervously peered over the roof of the cabin when the deafening crackle of the Bullhead's engines sounded as it approached from behind once again. She looked to her partner, her eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Weiss-"

"I'll handle it, just take care of him!" the heiress sternly shouted, knowing that taking care of Mike was far more important than helping take down the aircraft. The crimson reaper nodded her head, then reached out to her injured friend to lower him into the cabin to bandage his wounds.

Weiss took a deep breath and turned to the rear of the trailer, summoning up the power of her semblance as the Bullhead screamed ever closer. She knew how to take it down, it would just be… risky.

The moment the Bullhead's chin turret rattled once again, the young heiress swept her sword forward, creating a protective white glyph to shield her from the oncoming hailstorm of bullets. The moment the barrage subsided she swept the glyph aside and charged, creating another glyph at the rear of the trailer with a wave of her hand.

The Bullhead was well within range when Weiss hopped onto the solid surface, crouching low as a few of the rings spun and gathered energy. She leaped upward, letting the glyph propel her much farther than any normal human could jump. With a skillful twist of her hips and a graceful backflip, she landed on top of the Bullhead.

Thinking quickly on how she could best solve the situation, she carefully made her way to the left engine nacelle, using wires and footholds to grasp on to. Upon reaching the center of the left wing, she gave the Dust canisters in her sword a good spin and held down the trigger. The silver blade immediately began to glow red, quickly getting brighter and hotter as more and more Dust was imbued with it. After a few seconds, she heard a loud click and a ring of metal as the empty canister was ejected, then took a deep breath and raised her sword high.

She cleaved downward in a wide arc, her Dust-infused blade cutting through the metal like a hot knife through butter, and sheared the wing of the Bullhead clean off. The craft lurched to the side, nearly throwing her off before she could grab hold of anything. Luckily, she managed to dive down and hang on to a few loose cables as the aircraft tumbled out of the sky.

It wasn't until the Bullhead started to spin that Weiss began to panic. The wind tore at her body, thrashing her around as she desperately tried to figure out what to do. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that below her was a small canyon, with a ledge on the right that she might be able to safely land on. Trying to calm her erratic heartbeat, she watched carefully and prayed that she wouldn't mess up.

Powering through her fear and gritting her teeth, she let go of the open wires and spread her arms and legs wide to help control her descent. She struggled to keep her eyes open against the wind, just barely able to see that the ground was not far off. A thunderous boom pierced the air, something large and heavy explosively smashing against wood and stone.

She tucked her head in and rolled forward, jumping off a few glyphs to slow her fall. Unfortunately, she was still moving too fast for a perfect landing. The moment her feet touched the ground her momentum carried her forward, tumbling roughly through the dirt.

Weiss coughed and slowly stood, brushing off a few scrapes and bruises and sheathing her rapier. When she turned back, she saw what little remained of the bridge fracture and give way, crumbling into the ravine in a matter of seconds. She stood on the side protected by Mistral jurisdiction, but the trucks had yet to pass the bridge, and were now trapped in enemy territory.

Unless…

As the convoy approached, she calmly walked up to the edge of the ravine and focused her semblance once more. A dozen glyphs formed a makeshift bridge for the two trucks, but they were never intended to hold so much weight. For each set of tires that touched the bridge, the strain on the Heiress' mind greatly increased, until the load was so great that all she could think about was her will to keep her friends safe, and the intense pain of the fire lit between her ears.

After what felt to be an eternity, the trailer finally passed the last glyph of the bridge, and she let her semblance fade. Exhaustion immediately took hold of her, making her legs tremble and her mind go fuzzy. She felt the caring hand of Ruby on her shoulder and blinked away the fog in her eyes.

"Did everyone make it okay?" the young heiress asked.

Ruby nodded. "Mike is patched up, but he'll need healing time," she said, then gave her partner a look of great concern. "Are you okay? You're bleeding..."

Weiss suddenly became aware of the hot liquid that trickled from her nose, and tried to wipe it away, but only succeeded in spreading it around. "I'll be okay. I just need some rest," she reassured, letting Ruby guide her to the truck as she pinched her nose in an attempt to stifle the bleeding. Though she had set her partner at ease, she herself was very concerned with such a strange reaction. She had never tried to carry so much weight before on her glyphs, and clearly the strain had a physical effect on her mind. She would have to be more careful in the future to prevent long-term damage, or perhaps speak with her sister to learn of the limits of the family semblance.

As they moved deeper into Mistral, Weiss wondered what would become of all this… What would her father think? Did this action actually make a difference? The only way to know would be to send him a letter, and discuss the origins of the war the Schnee family had with the White Fang. She needed to know what spurned this hatred, and how she might be able to stop it from growing.

The only remaining question is; can she trust her father to tell the truth?

* * *

"What made you do it?" Blake hissed under her breath. "What would bring you to the point of killing your own sister?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Nova growled. "You're crazy if you believe I'd do that."

The raven-haired faunus grit her teeth, "What I believe doesn't change the fact that you-"

"Silence!" Glynda demanded as she slapped her riding crop down on the desk between them. The disciplinarian continued pacing the classroom, ensuring that the room remained silent until the Headmaster had his chance to speak to them.

For the time being, he seemed content with sitting at his desk with a look of disappointment and frustration on his face. His hands were folded tightly and pressing against his mouth in quiet contemplation as his gaze slowly scanned each of the eight young delinquents. With his lips pressed in a firm line, he stood and began pacing between the desks as he addressed them.

"What am I going to do with all of you, hmm?" he asked, though no one dared answer. "I bet that some of you believe that you did the right thing. That putting yourself in harm's way; that risking your very lives is worth a few thousand pounds of Dust!" his voice rose, echoing through the small room as if to ingrain his point into their minds.

"What you have done today was irresponsible, foolhardy, naive, and to be completely honest… very stupid! None of you have completed your training! None of you are ready to face the horrors of the outside world, and yet you choose to _thrust_ yourselves into these dire situations!

"You are all _my_ responsibility," he declared, stamping his cane into the ground. "And as such, you are all required to follow the policies, rules, and guidelines of the academy. I have been lenient in the past, but these are dangerous times. From this point onward, you will not leave the Mistral boundary except by explicit orders from myself, or any of the Beacon Staff."

Ozpin sighed, his eyebrows furrowing in sadness. "The future of Remnant rests on the shoulders of your generation. Do _not_ squander it by needlessly risking your lives." The headmaster gestured toward Mike, who wore a bandage around his torso from the wound he received on the field. "This time one of you sustained a very serious injury, and was very lucky to have survived. Next time… the consequences may be too much for you to bear."

The young students took his words to heart. He was right; in the end, the Dust mattered very little. Sure, they managed to put a small dent in the White Fang's supplies, but so many things could've gone wrong that it wasn't worth the dangers.

"Professor Goodwitch will enact disciplinary action as she sees fit, effective tomorrow morning," he said, heading toward the exit in a brisk pace. "You are all dismissed, except for Miss Schnee."

The Heiress remained seated while the others shuffled out of the room. Once they were out of earshot, Ozpin pulled up a chair and sat across from her.

"I want to let you know that your father is coming," he said.

"What? Why?" she asked in a near panic, "What does my father have to do with this?"

"Weiss, a citizen is dead. There will be an investigation and you will need your father's support," he stated with a solemn tone.

The young huntress felt nausea rise in her throat once again, "But... it was self-defense."

"Of that i have no doubt. Still, the authorities must make their investigation."

Weiss gulped, knowing that if her father was going to be here soon, then sending him a letter would be out of the question.

* * *

 _ **One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.**_

 **-Proverbs 14:16**


	19. Friends and Family

**I have a Beta now: Dark Whisper from HarryPotterFanfiction!**

The Fall Project

War

Friends and Family

* * *

For several days after the raid on the White Fang base, Weiss had been interrogated, questioned, and was even harassed by the media. When enough evidence was collected, a trial was held to determine whether or not the young heiress acted in self defense. Jaques Schnee was there every step of the way, along with a team of lawyers that loyally served the Schnee family.

Weiss acted the way her father expected; keeping her composure, speaking only when required to, and showing no signs of weakness or uncertainty. To her surprise she didn't even need to speak, and before long the jury ruled as expected; that Weiss was innocent and acted in self defense.

She was promptly released, and walked out of the courthouse with her father at her side. She ignored the blinding flashes of pictures being taken, keeping a straight face, remaining silent, and walking calmly toward a stark white limousine.

Inside, her heart was pounding.

The driver held the door open for her and she climbed inside, a nervous twinge growing in her stomach. Jaques Schnee sat quickly and pulled the door closed, turning back to Weiss with an angry glare. "That was a fool thing you did, stealing from the White Fang. Racing off to seek glory… Hmph!" He scoffed. "You are born for greater than the life of a Huntress, Weiss. We are Schnee! We have brought growth and prosperity in a time of desperation, and it is that legacy which you must uphold!"

Weiss simply sat there, dumbstruck. Her goal had been to make her father _proud_ of her for recovering lost Schnee property, but instead she was treated like a stupid child who has embarrassed her father. It was simply ludicrous! But how could she prove that to him? Summoning her courage, she took a deep breath, "I-I thought that getting back our stolen dust would make you proud. I hoped you might see that I was looking out for our family."

"Ha! 'Looking out for the family?'" he cackled. "You are doing little more than following in your sister's footsteps! If you truly wished to look out for the family, you would never have left Atlas. No… Instead you chose to run off and chase your childish dreams of heroism and valor, failing to see that you will achieve little more than surrounding yourself with death and destruction. Huntsmen _seek_ trouble, and too often to they meet their demise while doing so."

The heiress grit her teeth and clenched her fists, wanting nothing more than to protest her father's hurtful words. However, she new nothing good would come of it. Instead, she stayed in quiet contemplation, carefully considering each and every word she needed to say.

"Father?" Weiss started, gaining his attention. "How did the White Fang start?"

One of his silver eyebrows rose, "You don't remember? A group of faunus from the mines in Vacuo organized against the foreman, refusing to work. One of the insurgents sabotaged one of the machines, leading to the collapse of the mine and the deaths of dozens."

"But how does that have anything to do with the White Fang?" she asked.

"Well, naturally, I was blamed for the incident," he explained. "Support for the protesters increased exponentially, and before long they became hostile. We've been fighting their terrorism ever since."

"Is there a way for us to find a peaceful solution?" she questioned, hoping he might have an open mind.

"You honestly believe they want piece after all this?!" he snapped, "I have heard enough!"

The rest of the trip was spent in awkward silence. Weiss knew he would not admit to his faults, and didn't pressure him further on the topic. It was hard to think of what to do next. Should knew she should continue with her dream to be a Huntress, but how could she change the world's perspective on herself and her family if so many people seem intent on fighting each other every step of the way?

* * *

"Keep up!" Milo called from the side of the building, hanging upside-down on a pipe nearly thirty feet in the air. His arms were crossed as he looked down on Yang, a stern look on his face. "You must be completely mobile at all times. No ledge should be out of reach, no wall too high to jump over, and you have to be able to do it non-stop."

"Yeah well I can't fly, bird-brain..." she muttered under her breath, reaching for the next ledge with an exhausted left hand. They had already been at it for _hours_ , and Milo wasn't even close to letting up. His training was downright brutal; pushing every muscle to the brink, testing her will and resolve at every turn. She knew it was effective, but it was completely exhausting.

When she came to the last few steps at the top of the building, he reached down and hoisted her up with a strong pull. "Nice work, getting faster already," he said with a grin, then pointed over a multitude of houses, toward several large warehouses to the west side of the city. "We're heading to building twelve next."

The blonde brawler took a moment to catch her breath before turning around to climb back down the side of the building, but Milo stopped her with an outstretched hand. "Wait, a second. Have you ever played 'the floor is lava'?" he asked with a sly grin.

Her eyes narrowed as she gave him a distrustful glare. "Yes..." she answered hesitantly, knowing this would only be another crazy training routine.

"Then let's play," he smiled, then walked over to the other side of the building, facing their destination. Yang followed, her eyes widening when she noticed the sizable gap between each building from here to the warehouse.

Normally, leaping from rooftop to rooftop would be no problem, but in Mistral the taller buildings had nearly twenty-five to thirty feet in between each one. If she had her gauntlets, this wouldn't be a problem; she could use the hard recoil of the shotguns to gain an extra dozen feet or so. Only this time, no such tools were present.

"You're thinking too much again," the avian declared with a raised eyebrow. "Don't think about it; just give it everything you've got. The rest will fall into place."

"And if I can't jump far enough?" she asked, looking back at him through the corner of her eye.

"Then you'll miss the ledge," he bluntly stated with a blank expression that betrayed nothing.

It wasn't what she meant, though he might know that. She meant to ask if he would catch her if she fell. Some might think her crazy for doubting him, but if the past few days have shown anything, it's that he is a hardcore combat teacher. She wouldn't put it beneath him to let a student fail in order to learn a lesson.

"You planned this, didn't you?" she sneered.

"Maybe."

She couldn't wait to punch that smirk off his _stupid_ face.

Yang took several steps back and sucked in a deep breath to calm her nerves, then charged forward. Her right foot planted down at the edge of the roof and she pushed off with all her might, soaring through the air as instinctive fear gripped her heart when she saw the long drop below. She reached out as far as she could, her fingers wrapping around a metal pipe at the edge of the opposite rooftop. The breath was smashed from her lungs when her body collided with the side of the building, and she gasped for air as she gripped the bar with both hands, desperately trying to lift herself up. The exhausted muscles in her arm and abdomen shook in pained protest, making her grit her teeth as the strain made them feel as though molten fire was flowing beneath her skin.

She yelped in surprise when a warm hand gently wrapped around her waist, her heart skipping a beat as Milo helped lift her just high enough to swing a leg over the edge and roll herself the rest of the way up.

The young woman turned around as he effortlessly pulled himself up, admiring how much of a gentleman he unexpectedly was. He smoothed out his clothes, then his eyes flicked up to hers, catching her stare.

"What?" he questioned, "Something on my face?"

"No," she shook her head, "it's just... thank you."

"For helping you up? I couldn't just let you fall."

She couldn't help but chuckle at his mild obliviousness, "No, Milo. It's just that most guys take the chance to be a bit more... _grabby..._ But you didn't, so thank you."

"Oh," he blinked in surprise, "no problem." The young man cleared his throat a few moments later, not sure what to say in response to her compliment, and suggested they keep moving.

A few death-defying jumps later, they came to the large building the young faunus had specified earlier and stepped inside. Stacks of crates and containers were arranged in a semi-circle, and at the center were four odd-looking robots, currently deactivated.

"These will help me teach you everything you'll ever need to know," Milo voiced. "They're what I trained with when I was still in Atlas. Supposedly they are state-of-the-art, and extremely expensive. I used to call them Punching Bags."

Yang raised an eyebrow inquisitively when he revealed that bit of information. "But where did you get them, I wonder?" she asked with a hint of embellished sarcasm.

"I, uh..." he paused and his eyes widened, quickly clearing his throat and ignoring her suggestion with a hint of embarrassment. "That's really not important. All that matters is they'll help me make you into one hell of a fighter."

"You stole them didn't you?" the blonde questioned, a slight smirk growing at the corners of her lips. She was getting better at reading him.

"So these things have several modes of operation and performance levels," he started, ignoring her interrogation. "Until you get used to that new arm of yours, we'll be using only one drone at a low level."

The young woman rolled her eyes, frowning from being ignored. Rather than keep pushing the topic, she decided to humor him and accept whatever crazy training regimen he decided to come up with. "Okay, how many levels are there and where will I be starting?"

He pondered for a moment, tapping a finger to his chin before speaking. "I think there are twenty levels… You should start at five, and we can start easing off the training once you hit fifteen."

"Pfft, only level five?" she scoffed, "I might be a little rusty but I think I can at _least_ handle ten!"

He shook his head and chuckled, "If you're feeling confident I'll start you off at six, but you might not be able to move fast enough," he said as he walked up to the small collection of droids. "They're voice-activated. Just start with 'Drones Activate,' then give the number of drones, the pattern of attack and other modifiers, then combat level," he explained.

"Stand over there," he told her, then moved to a good position to help him study her movements. "Drones activate!" He ordered, making all four snap into rigid attention. "Single combatant, unarmed, mixed martial arts, level six."

" _PARAMETERS RECOGNIZED,"_ they simultaneously confirmed, then three stepped back while one walked forward and assumed a fighting position in front of Yang.

Uncertain as to what she was up against, she lowered into her own stance and did what she usually did; try to size up her opponent. She was certainly no tech-genius, but anyone could tell that these robots were significantly different from the flimsy pieces of garbage Atlas used in their 'army.' The metal frame looked strong and reinforced, with countless tubes in between the armor that filled every millimeter of space inside the chassis, not to mention all the unseen motors, hydraulics, and other fancy gadgets to make the machine extraordinarily fast and powerful.

"Begin!" Milo shouted, and Yang gasped in surprise as the drone leaped toward her with lightning speed.

* * *

Milo breathed deep the misty air, letting the cleansing rush of flight clear his mind. He looked down on the city, watching the twinkling lights as they passed down below. The wind whipped through his hair and the feathers of his wings, sending tingling sensations up and down his spine. He couldn't help but release a sigh of contentment.

This is what freedom feels like; a place of peace that would forever remain beyond the reach of the troubles of the world.

His moment of peace was interrupted as Yang's arms tightened around his chest, the generous curves of her body pressing tightly against his back. "You're not saying much," he called back with a grin, adjusting his flight path toward her home about a thousand feet to the east.

When she didn't respond, he frowned and lifted his hands to grasp her arms in reassurance. As he had warned her, the Atlesian training drones had been an extremely difficult challenge for her in the current state she was in. It would take time for her to begin improving by any significant margin, but at the moment the young brawler was extremely upset by her failure.

He found himself considering what he should do to help boost her confidence. Would he be able to call in a favor and have her spar against someone? Is that even a good idea? What if she just needs a break? But she just took a month-long break…

Suddenly, Yang leaned forward and spoke into his ear, just loud enough to be heard over the howling wind. "Why are you doing this for me?" she asked.

He furrowed his brow, perplexed by her strange question. "You said you were tired and didn't want to walk all the way home, so I decided to fly you there."

"No, Milo… Why are you trying to train me?"

The question completely caught him off guard. His answer? Well, he couldn't just say that she was one of the few things he had left in the world, that sounded desperate and pathetic. At the same time, he couldn't just say that he was bored and found her interesting; she would both call him out as a liar and a shallow jackass. Instead, he said the best thing that came to mind.

"Why do you _think_ I'm doing this?"

A short pause followed before she answered, "You think I'm weak."

"Weak? No..." he searched his mind for the right thing to say. He knew his many reasons, but which ones were true? What choices had he already made when in rage and pain that would change his life forever?

"Then why?" she urged.

He knew the truth, but the hardest part of that truth is that he couldn't give her all of it. "You needed a push in the right direction."

"… Is that it?"

Milo took hold of her one good hand, feeling the warmth of her soft fingers in his own. He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of her hand. "No," he said, and felt her fingers tighten around his.

"Good," she replied, pressing herself into his back once more.

Oh, you stupid, stupid fool, he thought to himself.

* * *

Ruby was bored.

After the ordeal with Ozpin grounding them within the walls of Mistral, there was very little for her to do beyond her everyday routine. She would get up just early enough to get ready for school, study throughout the day in her various topics, then afterward she and the others would do a short training session with Milo. Every few days, he would go around and talk to each person, giving them something specific to work on, helping to hone their combat skills.

The young man seemed pleased enough with her skills, and instead focused on a theory he had about her semblance. For whatever reason, he was convinced that she wasn't using the full capacity of her abilities. Everyone thought he was crazy when he suggested that she should be able to speed up not just her body, but her mind as well.

Ruby took it in stride, however, and gave it her best shot, focusing deeper into her semblance than she ever had before. Unfortunately nothing substantial happened, but it felt like there was _something_ there, it would just take time.

Even so, after all that work and after being banned from leaving the city, she felt as though a piece of her was being wasted. That drive to achieve the impossible, to protect and serve the defenseless, simply wasn't being used. The young reaper wanted to help her friends and get involved with the quest to help defend the city against inevitable attack, but other than following them around like a third-wheel, she simply couldn't help them very much.

Weiss kept looking into the history of her family, trying to discover the true beginnings of the faunus war to come up with a way to end it with good relations. Blake kept running off with Sun on a daily basis to find out what the White Fang were doing in and around Mistral, and trying to influence the opinions of faunus who have yet to pick a side. Yang did eventually start going back to the academy, but rarely left Milo's side. At first she was moody and distant, but slowly turned back to her original, joking, pun-making self once a few weeks had passed.

JNPR spent every last bit of their free time out in the city talking to in keepers, shop owners, and anyone else Jaune deemed important enough to talk to. They often spoke about Vale; how the city was woefully unprepared for the attack and how things could be different here in Mistral. Ruby didn't know how Jaune's progress was going, and she didn't know what everyday non-huntsman people could do to fend off a militaristic siege or a horde of nightmare-creatures, but he seemed hopeful.

It wasn't until one day the young reaper was wandering around town that she found a place to spend her time. It was a murky, humid, dreary day in the late evening when she was eating at a small sweets shop at the center of town when a pair of Huntsmen caught her eye; a young man and woman walking behind her.

The woman was short but well-built, with bright crimson eyes and silver hair tied up at the back of her head. She wore simple tattered wrappings around her chest with the same torn material used to create a makeshift skirt, along with dark brown leggings that came down just past her knees. Both of her forearms were covered in white bandages, with leather padding protecting her upper arms and shoulders. A large, black sword with green runic markings on the blade was strapped across her back. She looked like she's lived a rough life so far, but seemed to be happy nonetheless.

The man was tall with a thin build. He had long, dark black hair tied back in a ponytail, and light gray eyes that flicked back to his companion every so often. His blue pants were loose and baggy, and he wore a long, gently curved sword at his hip; likely a katana of some sort. His face was peppered with gruff stubble, and there was a deep scar across the bridge of his nose.

Ruby watched as they took a few dozen steps down the sidewalk and turned left down an alleyway. Her curiosity piqued, she quickly jammed the last pastry into her mouth and took the remaining few gulps of milk before running after them. Rounding the corner in a shower of rose petals, she managed to catch the door at the far side of the alley latch shut. Above it hung a small sign with a hammer crashing down on an anvil.

Ruby smiled. Blacksmiths usually had weapons, and weapons mean she has something to talk about! She dashed forward and stepped through the door, her smile fading a bit when she saw rows and racks of simple tools, ranging from carpenters nails and saws, to a farmer's tilling blade. Before she dashed her hopes completely, she decided these huntsmen came in here for a reason and was determined to stay until she found out why.

"Dad, you in here?" the young woman called, while the man noticed the young huntress-in-training. He turned her way and smiled in greeting, but Ruby could see the wary look in his eyes.

She simply smiled back, excitedly waving a greeting. The young leader's eyes widened and her jaw dropped when the shop owner stepped out from the back room. He was a massive man, standing well over six and a half feet tall, with a thick, stocky build and a round belly. His hair was black like coal with flecks of gray, and he had a matching short beard. Tied at his neck and around his waist was a tan apron, stained black by crafting residue.

The man smiled wide, showing slightly yellowed teeth with a chip in the front left canine. "Reyna! Back already?" he laughed, spreading his arms to envelop the much smaller woman in a hug. Upon releasing her, he gave the man a handshake and a smile in greeting.

"Already? It's been three weeks you old coot!" She said, putting her hands on her hips, giving the smith a smirk. "Did you get my armor finished yet?"

"Yes, yes… But first," he nodded toward Ruby, "who's your young friend here?"

She could feel her cheeks grow warm when attention was called in her direction. "Oh, I'm not with them!" she said, shaking her head in slight embarrassment. "I just came here because I was bored and wanted to see what you have… so sorry for intruding!"

The young leader was about to push the door open to leave when the old man spoke up. "You're one of them Beacon students, aren't you?"

Perplexed by his question, Ruby turned back in the blacksmith's direction. "Mhm," she hummed with a nod, trying to read his expression. He looked… sad. Apologetic? It was hard to say.

"My name is Clovis," he said, "this is my daughter Reyna and her fiancée, Julius. I've taken care of more Huntsmen than I ever care to count," he added with a chuckle.

"Ruby. Ruby Rose," the young leader declared, reaching out to shake his hand.

The man accepted, then motioned Reyna toward him, tentatively taking her hand and carefully unraveling the bindings around her forearms. "How are you holding up?" he asked, eyes flicking to hers as he inspected the scarred flesh of her arm.

The young woman winced at his touch. "It still stings from time to time," she said, quickly rubbing a transparent gel into her old burns that Julius had handed her, then carefully wrapping her arms back up.

Clovis then turned his attention to Ruby, an appreciative smile adorning his face. "A few years ago, a huntsman in training saved by daughter from a truly terrible fate."

Ruby shook her head in solemn understanding. "Lurker acid…" she suggested, remembering the pictures of the large, insect-like Grimm from the textbooks at Beacon.

"That's right," Reyna confirmed. "I was deep in southern Mistral when I came across a large nest of them. They eventually whittled down my aura and then one of them sprayed that crap all over my arms."

Julius frowned, but continued the tale. "I was away at the time. Luckily the stranger was nearby. He killed the lurkers and brought her to a nearby inn, where they were able to treat her. She told him about her father's shop, and that they owed him a favor."

"Well, we haven't seen him since," the red-eyed huntress shrugged. "I doubt he'll ever turn up again."

"Actually he showed up not too long ago. He called in his favor too; gave me a bunch of high-tech schematics and said he'll pay me for my best work, but I've already decided not to charge him. Because of him, you are alive and getting better every day, and for that I am thankful," the old man said with a wide smile, then shook his head to re-focus himself. "Forgive me, I've gotten carried away. Since you are practically a Huntress already, how would you like to go back and see the collection? Anything a growing warrior might need out in the wilderness..."

"Really?!" the red reaper exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. Clovis laughed and waved them all into the back room.

Ruby gasped as she stepped through the door, her eyes growing wide as she gazed upon the rows and racks of weapons on display. Swords, knives, daggers, halberds, spears… each type of weapon ranging from simple, affordable pieces all the way up to beautiful masterworks that made her eyes sparkle with delight.

Once their business was finished, the blacksmith's daughter and her fiancée left, though Ruby hardly noticed them exit. After nearly an hour of seeing the young huntress fawning over the tools, Clovis approached her with a proposition in mind.

"You certainly seem to know your stuff," he suggested, giving her an approving smile.

"Yeah! I've always liked messing with weapons. I put a lot of work into designing mine," she said, quietly admiring the etched finish of an ornate sword on display.

"I can see that," he chuckled, "But have you ever thought about making things for other people to use?"

She whirled around in stunned surprise, her eyebrows furrowing as the thought sank in. "You mean… You think I could be a blacksmith?"

The man nodded with enthusiasm. "If you really do love weapons that much, then I have no doubt that you could be one of the best."

"I… appreciate that, but I'm training to be a Huntress," she explained, "Even if I wanted to try, I have to put that before anything else."

"Of course, of course… but you said you were getting bored lately, right? How about you swing by when you're bored, and I'll show you a thing or two. Just as a hobby, you know?"

"I don't know," she hesitated, stopping to consider what happened on a daily basis. She was doing everything she needed to for Academy training, but other than that she wasn't accomplishing anything. Rather than just waste her time, she would be far better off learning a skill that she might be able to use in the future.

"I think that's a good idea," she said with a smile.

As time passed, the group continued to focus on their personal goals. Milo trained Yang each and every day, pushing past her frustrations and seeing real progress after merely a few weeks. She grew stronger day by day, as did her trust and friendship with Milo. They started spending time together outside of training, and Milo even continued his education at Mistral, though he refused to spar with anyone other than Yang; calling it a waste of his energy and time.

Weiss discovered an irregularity in the Schnee shipping routes, finding that some shipments weren't being stolen; they were instead being routed into dangerous territory intentionally, compelling her to dive even further into the cause of this behavior.

Blake didn't find much about the White Fang, but did manage to get in touch with her father in Menagerie, who agreed to send a contingent of guards that would help protect the school should the need arise. She and Sun appeared to be a couple, though the former would never admit it.

Pyrrha was getting worried about Jaune. He was so determined to organize the defense of Mistral that he often neglected sleep, staying up late into the twilight hours to finish a new idea or theory. Before she knew it months had passed, and as the toll of stress on his mind and body grew, she could see that he was vastly overworking himself. The young Mistrali knew that there was no way to convince him to slow down, but the worst part of it all was the fact that she had _no clue_ of how to help him. He was working himself to death for the betterment of the entire city, and for that she loved him… but she couldn't sit idly by and watch as he works himself to the point of collapse.

* * *

 ** _And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."_**

 **-Mark 2:27**

 **Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you think, write a review!**


	20. Obsessions

**Beta: Dark Whisper from harrypotterfanfiction**

* * *

The Fall Project

War

Obsessions

* * *

Pyrrha woke early in the morning, quickly rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up and yawned, blinking away the weight in her eyelids. She took a quick peek at the clock on her nightstand, noted that she was only ten minutes ahead of schedule, and pulled the covers aside. The cold air seemed to pierce through her bare arms and legs, sending a shiver up and down her spine. Pants might not be such a bad idea this time of year, rather than the mid-thigh shorts she usually wears.

It may be the cold season, but usually Dust was used to keep ventilation at a comfortable temperature, especially at the academies. Weiss had mentioned something about a Dust shortage in Mistral, but it couldn't be that bad so soon. They were supposed to have large stores saved up, especially considering what the council learned from the short Mistral Siege during the Great War; a colossal failure in which the city fell within a few days because of a lack of Dust supplies. No, there couldn't be a Dust shortage. Professor Lionheart would've informed the students so they might conserve their supplies. She was simply overthinking things.

She reached over to the wall and flipped the switch to illuminate the small dorm, causing both Ren and Nora to stir, whose beds sat along the opposite wall. Pyrrha sighed when she saw that Jaune's bed was once again empty. When she peered into the adjacent room, she confirmed her suspicions; the young man had fallen asleep working on his plan again, his head draped over the notes and plans he'd been so tirelessly working on.

Feeling a pang of remorse, Pyrrha placed a hand on each of his shoulders and gave him a gentle shake. "Jaune, it's time to get up." He groaned, muttering something incoherent under his breath. Pursing her lips, she lifted him up beneath his arms.

JNPR leader managed to gain his feet, slightly swaying in exhaustion before she released him. "Ugh... I was just taking a nap... Be done in a minute, Pyrrha," he groggily said, still half asleep. The dark circles under his bloodshot eyes did not go unnoticed.

"At this rate you'll be working non-stop until summer comes around. You need more rest, Jaune," the young woman suggested, gathering his mess of papers together as he groggily sauntered over to his dresser to prepare for another day in Haven Academy.

Days like this had become the norm, in which the red-headed Mistrali would wake Jaune after he spent full night of careful planning and critical thinking. Unfortunately, such work constantly cut into the day. He was often dozing off in class, learning very little in combat class, and even _losing_ progress in their training sessions because of his lack of energy.

It hurt to see him in such misery.

As the time passed, she came to realize that in order to help him she must put her foot down and draw the line, yet struggled to figure out how to accomplish this. Eventually, she supposed, the only option would be to simply sit him down and speak to him; tell him the truth of what she thought about his ceaseless work and how it affected him, and to tell him why she felt so strongly about his safety. It merely came down to the matter of finding the right moment.

Pyrrha asked Ren and Nora to go ahead without them, and the two of them would catch up in a moment. Fortunately Ren nodded in understanding and urged his childhood friend along before she started worrying too much about them.

The young woman took a moment to study his slow, almost pained movements, before gathering her courage to speak. "Jaune, maybe you should take the day off and rest."

He reeled around as he was halfway through putting on his coat, a look of shock on his face.

"I can't just take breaks from school Pyrrha, there's way too much work to do," he concluded, slowly pulling the small chestguard over his head and tightening the straps to fit snugly with his torso.

"But you're exhausted," she argued. "You're barely staying awake in class, and I'm starting to get worried about you!"

The young man shook his head, his glazed, bloodshot eyes looking sternly into hers. The slight scrunch of his brow told her that he was irritated by her intervention, or otherwise determined to ignore her protests. "I have to do this, Pyrrha. You know that another attack is coming, and it's my job to make sure things turn out better this time. I can't just... stop. Even if I did try to take a break, I'd just end up working things up in my head."

She furrowed her brow in confusion. It sounded as though he _wanted_ to take a break, but it was impossible for him to do so. "What makes it so difficult?"

"Because..." he hesitated, "Because in my dreams, I see how the people I care about are going to fail if they don't work together. When I'm awake, it's as if I'm getting a glimpse into the future, where their individual skills aren't going to be enough for what's coming."

"What do you 'see' coming?" she asked with uncertainty, nearly convinced that his exhaustion has taken him to the brink.

"The _Grimm_ , Pyrrha, always the Grimm," he huffed, bracing himself on the edge of the bed with an outstretched hand when he swayed. "I always thought they were mindless beasts, but there are some that don't even come near us. They just stay far away and watch, waiting for... something. Those are the ones that worry me, that give me the feeling that they are far more intelligent than we thought."

She paused, pondering for a moment, "The older Grimm do have the ability to learn."

"Yes, exactly!" he exclaimed, "What about the ones that are _hundreds_ of years old? What do they know? Or... are they being controlled?" his gaze seemed to stretch far off, the gears in his mind refusing to stop turning for even a moment.

Before she could say anything more, he looked back at her with a look of fierce determination in his eyes. "We need to work together as more than just teams of four. All of us should start memorizing drills and situations, fallback plans, emergencies, I-you-" He stammered as he noticed her stern, disappointed glare, "You get the idea."

Pyrrha rubbed her tired eyes, racking her brain for a way to persuade Jaune to rest his addled mind. Why it's so difficult to think clearly when she was tired?

Her eyes flashed open as a sudden realization came to her; she could finally make Jaune see reason! She bit her lip to stifle the smile growing on her lips, and thought carefully on her choice of words.

"Jaune, when people go without sleep, they lose clarity. You're stretching your mind thin, and its only a matter of time before you make a mistake.

"It's better for _everyone_ , Jaune," she said with a hopeful look in her vivid green eyes. "We all need you to rest."

He was frozen in place, glossy eyes darting back and forth as he worked it out in his head. Slowly, his brow furrowed and Pyrrha could see that deep down, he knew she was right.

"I still need to get them together, though. I have to tell them my ideas!" he pleaded, reaching for his sweatshirt.

The red-head stepped closer and put a hand on his to stop him. "I'll take care of it, Jaune. I'll... find a time for everyone to come together, but not today. You need to rest at least one day a week, okay?"

With his eyes downcast, he sighed and nodded.

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise," he said, giving her a weak smile. Pyrrha wrapped her arms around him, giving him a comforting hug.

"Thank you, Jaune."

* * *

Milo sighed a breath of contentment as he sat high in the branches of a tree, just low enough to shield himself from the gentle rainfall that pattered against the forest leaves. As he shifted his weight to move into a more comfortable position, he huffed in irritation, feeling the unpleasant greasiness of sweat built up beneath his clothing from a morning of hard training. He resolved to take a longer shower than normal, hating the idea of smelling bad even more than soaking himself in energy-thieving water.

He tried to explain it to Cadence once, that he can't simply 'turn the water temperature up.' Because of his semblance, whenever the liquid touched him he could quite literally _feel_ the heat being sapped from his body. It was as if a drug was seeping into his blood, drawing out his energy and leaving him exhausted.

A rustle of the brush below interrupted his thoughts, making him raise his eyebrow as a small Beowolf carefully sniffed the air. With a silent movement of the wrist, he brandished his blade, preparing to pounce on the unsuspecting Grimm.

A brief image of a runic symbol flashed at the forefront of his mind, and an irresistible curiosity bloomed. He considered acting on it, looking around despite the fact that he knew he was alone; no one would be crazy enough to follow him so far out of the borders... Perhaps a little test would be harmless.

Silent as the night owl, Milo glided to the other side of the small circular clearing, quietly touching down on the soft ground. Quickly turning to face the Grimm, he lifted his sword and used his semblance to scratch a rune into the air; a foreign symbol that cracked and fizzled with fiery light.

The Beowolf turned and growled, menacingly baring its teeth as it charged in his direction. He focused hard on the airborne shape, bringing calming thoughts to his mind and feeling the old magic take hold. The Grimm immediately yelped as if struck, whining as it shied back several steps before losing all sense of instinct. It simply stared at the rune with a blank glare, the redness in its eyes dimmed and all aggression purged as if in a trance.

Milo stood in awe at the creature's reaction and dared to delve deeper, seeking the cause of such a phenomenon. With curiosity in his mind, he plunged into the sea of unknown energies.

It was dark, cold, and _empty_. He could feel thousands of eyes watching him, but saw nothing in the endless void. He was struck with fear when he felt something approach from behind. The entity's curiosity mirrored his own, quickly being overtaken by anger and irritation.

" _Who might you be?"_

He recoiled in fear of the woman's voice that he heard within the confines of his own mind, pulling everything back before that... _thing..._ could question him further. His eyes came back into focus, staring once more at the rune. The inner light turned black in the blink of an eye, and shadowy darkness poured from the symbol he no longer controlled.

With an outstretched left hand he pushed the foul substance away, recoiling once again as pain shocked through his arm. He gasped at the sharp sting in his hand, clenching it into a fist and letting out a low growl to help force through the pain. Thankfully, the black rune fizzled out and disappeared before the situation could get any worse.

The beowolf snarled and leaped forward, straight into Milo's waiting sword. After wrenching the blade free, he lifted his hand to make a closer inspection of the damage. The skin was tender to the touch, swollen and red from irritation. His jaw dropped at the realization of what kind of injury he had just received.

It was a burn. He has never, _ever_ been burned before.

A loud, sudden snap of a twig made him whirl around, barely catching a silhouette retreating deeper into the woods. Cursing under his breath, he dashed forward in a mild panic, weaving between the heavily wooded forest far too slowly to catch up with the intruder.

After frantically chasing for several minutes, it was clear they had escaped. Milo cursed his own stupidity, and prayed that this wouldn't come back to bite him. As for the creepy magic rune-thing... he vowed to never use it again. He didn't want that creature on the other side to start getting familiar with him.

"Coward," he spat in the spy's last known direction, then set off toward Mistral to tend to his wound.

* * *

"Wait, wait Neo," Cadence huffed, "You need to slow down, I can't understand when you go that fast."

The young woman made one of her adorable, noiseless snickers before slowing the movements in her arms for him to read the hand signals she gave him.

' _What is your greatest fear?'_ she signed slowly, hoping he remembered all the motions.

"... My greatest... Oh!" He grinned in triumph and leaned back against the bench they both sat in, overlooking the lower city. He pondered thoughtfully, chin resting atop his fist. "I think... my greatest fear is never being significant. I want to be more than just a cog in the machine, I want to amount to something, to be... important. Remembered."

Neo pouted, _'You're important to me!'_

"And I feel the same for you," he laughed, giving her a friendly nudge with his elbow. "You know what I mean. So how about you, huh? Greatest fear?" he asked with a touch of hopefulness.

She pursed her lips, tipping her head to the side and gazing to the horizon as if it would give her the answer.

' _I'm afraid that the people in my past might come after me and put my new friends in danger,'_ she concluded.

"... Uh... Put new friends in what? I didn't catch that last word."

Neo's eyes shifted as she huffed in irritation, signing the words for 'peril, risk, pain.'

"Oh, danger, okay," he said with a frown. "I don't know, though... that doesn't sound right. Are you sure that's your fear? I thought it would be something a little more scary. We can handle ourselves, after all."

Neo shifted uncomfortably. This was supposed to be fun, but she'd chosen a bad topic to get into. She knew her real fear. Merely thinking about it made her quake and tremble.

' _I don't want to end up alone,'_ she signed, remembering the loneliness she felt when Roman fell, and even long before the thief had taken her in; the seemingly endless years living on the street.

Seeing the pain in her eyes, Cade pulled her into a warm embrace. "I won't leave you alone, Neo," he promised, earning a tight hug in return.

Suddenly he pulled away with a frown. Concerned, she asked him what was wrong. He lifted his hand, softly brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek. She loved that feeling.

"I wish I could hear your voice."

The young woman felt the nerves rise in her heart, and the tears swell in her eyes. Of the things he could ask for, why does he choose the most impossible of them all? _Of course_ she loved him. _Of course_ she wanted to speak, to tell him that herself without having to sign it. She slid closer to him, twisting in his direction to lace her arms around his neck.

As they shared a somber embrace, a thought occurred in the young woman's mind. Though she hadn't been able to speak in years, it wasn't completely impossible to think that her vocal chords had at least _partially_ healed. She simply never had a reason to risk further damage... until now.

She pulled away and took in a breath, unable to keep herself from smiling in anticipation. "I-" she managed before her weak voice cracked, forcing her into a fit of harsh, wheezing coughs so jarring they left stars in her vision.

Cadence shook his head as he patted her back, "Neo, I don't want you to hurt yourself! If you can't, that's fine, just-"

She shushed him with an extended finger against his lips, forcing the last few coughs into her fist before turning back to him with renewed determination. Acting more carefully, she leaned in close to the side of his head, her lips nearly grazing his ear.

"I-I lo-ove yo-ou," she struggled, fighting through the fire that stung her throat with every syllable. She finished with a great sigh, a rush of adrenaline sending her heart racing; the excitement of saying such a simple phrase that meant so much more than words on a screen or gestures of a hand.

The young man laughed in joy, and was at the verge of tears himself. He hugged her more tightly, planting a tender kiss on her cheek. "I love you too, Neo," he whispered, taking the memory of her sweet voice and holding it tentatively within his heart.

* * *

Yang ducked and dodged to the left, gaining her feet and pushing backward just as a metal boot whirled around, slamming on the hard ground with a resounding thud. She let out a swift jab at the overextended appendage, feeling it buckle under the strain, then dashed forward with a quick flurry to subdue her mechanical opponent.

A short buzzer sounded, letting her know that the session was over. Panting heavily, the young blonde stood with a wide grin, proud of her progress. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Milo with a slight smile and an odd look in his eye.

"What?" she questioned, pulling her gloves off for a quick break. "See something you like?" she asked with a smirk. She loved seeing the red tint of embarrassment in his cheeks when she teased him.

His eyes glistened as he laughed, "You're getting much better. Before long you'll be giving me a run for my money." His gaze shifted to the center of the arena, watching as the robots reorganized themselves.

"That's the goal," Yang responded, hoisting herself up atop the wooden container he was using as a chair. She took a few swigs of her water bottle, shifting to a more comfortable position as silence filled the small warehouse. "You're not saying much today," she tested, throwing a glance in his direction.

His mouth hung open for a second as he thought to himself. "Not much to say, I suppose. You're so close, Yang. There's just one little piece missing."

"What's that?" she questioned, lifting an eyebrow in interest.

He hesitated, "You're not quite ready for it. A few more weeks, maybe."

She nodded and frowned, knowing that no matter how much she pestered him, Milo would keep his stupid secrets.

When silence filled the air between them once again, she flashed a glance in his direction. He looked solemn, yet deep in thought, his gaze looking far beyond the confines of the building they sat in.

Unease swelled in her stomach, and she knew the impossible question she had to ask. They had spent _so much_ time together over the past month, but he refused to act any further than her training. It was starting to eat at her, knowing that he liked her but never made a move.

Was it some kind of sniper's state-of-mind? Would he wait forever, looking for 'the right moment,' even if it never comes?

Yang decided she couldn't wait that long.

"Milo, what do you think about... about us?" she asked nervously, her eyes meeting his when he turned in surprise.

"Us?" he replied blandly.

"Us," she repeated with a nod, "Don't play dumb. I know you care about me, or you wouldn't be working so hard to train me up like this. But why don't you go any further?"

He blinked, processing her words carefully with a frown. "There's a war going on, Yang."

"So?" she challenged. "If anything that should give you a reason to look for... someone."

"I-" he took a breath and looked away, trying to stay calm. His wings shivered, betraying the inner battle he fought. "We need to survive first."

The young blonde let out an exasperated huff of annoyance. No more beating around the bush, then.

"Do you love me or not?"

The very air stilled at the sound of her question, and it became so quiet she could hear the thumping heartbeat in his chest. She waited patiently for his response, her gaze never leaving his own. His mouth hung open, and she could see the gears in his head freeze. Why is it so hard for him to just _say it_?

"I don't know how to answer that," he managed to choke out, gripping his legs hard enough to whiten his knuckles.

"Just tell me the truth," she pressed.

A long pause followed, his eyes boring into hers. How could he explain to her the truth? His life was a mess. Often times, things got so complicated that he wondered whether or not his friends would be able to accept the decisions he made.

He couldn't tell her anything. One single slip up could be enough to reveal one of the myriad of secrets he held, possibly ruining their friendship. But... if he held back and explained later, perhaps she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

Sometimes, there are no good choices to make. He _prayed_ that this was the right one.

"I don't want to make a mistake," he said, letting out a breath he was holding.

Yang leaped to her feet, coming within inches of his face. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?" she demanded. Her crimson eyes burned into his, her heart thundering and breathing heavy. She knew, one way or another she would get her answer.

Yang leaned forward to capture his lips in a kiss.

A loud clang interrupted her, followed by a cacophony of voices. She turned around to see the arrival of their friends, cursing under her breath for their awful timing.

She heard him hop off the wooden crate and whirled around, jamming a finger into his chest. "Don't you dare consider our conversation over!" she hissed in a hushed voice. He merely furrowed his brow and gave a harsh frown in response.

She took a deep breath, letting go of her anger and ensuring that her eyes turned back to normal before greeting her friends.

After a few moments, she took a glance at Milo, who showed no evidence of his nervousness from before, speaking with his own team of misfits about the day's events.

Cade peaked her interest when he produced a tattered black notebook and held it out to Milo. "I forgot I had this. Ozpin gave it to me after Vale," he said. "I know how personal it is to you, so I kept it private."

Milo stared at the notebook a few seconds, eyes wide with surprise. His expression changed and Yang could see resolve in his eyes. "Thank you, but I don't need it anymore."

The blonde smiled and reached over, slipping it out of Cadence's fingers. "If you don't want it then I can finally take a peek, right?" she said with a sly grin.

The young faunus nearly panicked, "Yang, don't!"

She ignored him, slipping a finger between the pages and pulling the notebook open. With a snap of his fingers it ignited, instantly engulfed in flame.

With a gasp, Yang dropped it, the hungry fire burning through the paper in mere seconds. "What is wrong with you?!" she shouted, glaring at him with gritting teeth.

"Don't you know what 'personal' means?" he challenged with any icy frown.

"Why do you always do this?" she yelled, "Every time I get you to open up, you just bury your head again!"

"Well, what do you want then, huh?" he yelled back, "What do you want from me? Want me to pick flowers while I'm out hunting Grimm? Bring nice little chocolates home for the 'princess?'" he taunted sarcastically.

"I just want you to _trust_ me, Milo," she sneered, waving her arm in exasperation as she stepped toward the door. "Is that too much to ask?"

"I _do_ trust you!"

"Then when you're ready to show it, you know where to find me!" she yelled, slamming the door behind her.

Shouting a curse, he spun, drawing his sword and throwing it in a single motion. The blade sung as it whirled through the air, burying itself hilt-deep into the chest of one of the training robots. He sighed deeply as it clattered to the ground in a heap, then turned around to see everyone standing in awkward silence.

"What are you looking at? Don't you have training to do?" He moved before anyone could give an answer, leaning down and pulling his sword free with a quick jerk. Grumbling to himself, he sat down and started taking apart the broken robot for repairs.

Jaune began his training, helping to coordinate their teams for both the potential attack on Mistral, or any other situation he could think of. Progress was slow and questions were numerous, but he seemed to be satisfied with the results.

After an hour or so, Milo had almost completely disassembled one of the robots, thoroughly cleaning or adjusting a few parts here and there. He sat cross-legged, wings held aloft to keep them from dragging on the ground.

Pyrrha approached him from behind, taking a moment to sit beside him. "That was a kind thing you did for Yang today," she said.

He paused his work, glancing in her direction. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stated, turning back to polish a small piece of machinery.

She sighed, "When you went missing, Ozpin showed me what was in your sketchbook. He hoped I might find you for him."

His wings twitched, and she swore she could feel the temperature rise. "Nosey old bastard... Why are you telling me this?" he questioned, giving her a steely glare.

"Are you going to tell her?" Pyrrha asked, ignoring his aggressive demeanor.

He went back to polishing, scrubbing the parts with renewed focus. "Letting her see sketches of _you_ would have only created problems. She would have doubts where there should be none."

"Yes, that was very kind of you... and very brave," Pyrrha added. "Most people wouldn't be able-"

"I'm not most people," he interrupted. "You know that."

"Yes, I know," she huffed, irritated by his shortness.

"Hey, Milo," Jaune called from across the room. The young faunus sighed and stood, quickly making his way toward the group. "I'm trying to figure out a strategy for defending Mistral, and Ren says you can manipulate Grimm. Is that true?"

Milo's eyes snapped to the quietest member of team JNPR, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Ren's eyes betrayed his silence. He _knew_. His memory flashed, the silhouette dodging through the trees, deep in the forest. Ren was the one who saw him tampering with black magic.

"What gave you that ridiculous idea? I can't do that," Milo replied, knowing he would never use it again.

"You're lying! You're lying to these people!" Ren yelled, drawing his weapons with a flick of each wrist and raising them toward the avian. Milo drew his own swords in response, a bit surprised by his reaction. Jaune stepped between them and held up his hands in an attempt to keep the peace.

"How can we work together if we can't trust each other?" Ruby asked, casting a worried look at each of them while the others shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, Jaune. How do we do _that?"_ Ren harshly questioned, snapping his head in the young leader's direction.

Jaune kept his hands held up, trying to keep peace between them. "Just calm down, and put your weapons down," he reasoned. "Ren? You and I need to talk later. As for Milo... If there is anything you can do regarding the Grimm, it could be invaluable."

Milo shook his head. "The only thing I can reliably do is draw the Grimm toward me."

Jaune nodded, lowering his hands once Ren and Milo sheathed their weapons. "Okay, I'll remember that," he said.

"You know," Gabriel jokingly started, "If we keep fighting we're gonna end up attracting a few Grimm for each of us on the way home."

"But we haven't even had dinner yet!" Mike exclaimed. "I can't fight on an empty stomach..."

"Well, then I suggest we get to the dining hall before they decide to close it," Jaune suggested, eager to turn the conversation to a lighter topic.

Before leaving, Milo gathered the disassembled pieces and placed them in a box to finish later. When he looked up, he was dismayed to see Ren glaring down on him with hate in his eyes.

"I know what I saw," he hissed. "The only thing that ever comes out of your mouth is half-truths and deception."

Milo rose to his feet, standing a full head taller than the young man. He jabbed a finger in his chest as his golden eyes flared, "You have no idea who I am or what I've been through. You have no right to accuse me of anything, so _back off_."

"Or what?" Ren spat. "You'll kill me?"

The avian's face darkened, and his eyes glanced to the left. Ren followed his gaze, seeing Nora, skipping her way to the exit. His head snapped back to Milo, giving him a defiant, deadly glare.

"We all have people we're protecting," Milo warned under his breath, and stepped past him with a forceful push of his wing.

Ren saw through Milo's cryptic words. By not telling the truth, he was protecting someone... but he was also threatening him to back down.

* * *

" _ **Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."**_

 _ **-**_ **Proverbs 4:23**


	21. Before the Storm

**Beta: Dark Whisper from HarryPotterFanfiction**

* * *

The Fall Project

War

Before the Storm

* * *

"Where are we going, Milo?" Yang asked, looking around the unfamiliar paths of downtown Mistral as she followed his lead.

He peered back at her with a grin. "I told you, you earned your surprise."

"Yeah, but what _is_ it?" she questioned.

"I can't tell you, that's what makes it a _surprise_ ," he countered. She rolled her eyes, taking a moment to soak in the scenery.

The streets seemed busy for a late afternoon, even if it was the weekend. People moved about their daily routine as if there wasn't a war on the horizon, as if Grimm attacks hadn't increased ten-fold over the past two weeks.

She shook those thoughts from her head, looking instead at the people passing by, most of which did a double-take upon seeing Milo. Many would whisper to the people they traveled with, occasionally pointing in his direction as if he were some sort of celebrity phenomenon. Thankfully, no one seemed interested enough to bother them.

Even Yang could tell that Milo noticed their prying eyes. His wings were tense, slightly raised as if he were about to spring into action.

She chuckled as she admired the golden luster of his feathers. For someone with the most memorable feature on Remnant, he sure did hate being recognized by strangers.

Eventually he turned left, moving briskly down an alleyway. She followed suit, lifting an eyebrow when he opened the door of a blacksmith's shop and waved her inside.

She frowned upon entering, wondering if this was a joke. "Farming tools? Milo, what are we doing here?"

"I had the same first impression," he laughed, then walked over to a small counter at the far wall, just to the left of a very heavy-looking metal door.

As if on queue, the door opened wide and a young woman stepped out, her white hair tied back and her bright red eyes widening when they fell on the avian faunus' wings. She stood at roughly the same height as Yang, and had a joyful air about her.

Quickly recovering, she gave them both a warm smile. "Welcome to Clovis' blacksmith shop. What can I do for you?"

"Good to see you're doing well, Reyna," Milo said with a wide smile.

The young woman blinked in confusion, wondering if they had met before. Her eyes widened and her jaw slacked when she finally realized who he was.

" _Nova?!_ " she gasped.

"Actually my name is Milo. Nova was just..." he hesitated, glancing at Yang. "Well it wasn't my real name."

"Oh my gosh look at you!" she exclaimed in excitement and awe. "You look amazing! How did this happen, anyway?" she asked, gesturing at his wings.

"It's a long story," he shrugged. "How are your arms holding up?" he asked, cleverly deflecting the conversation away from himself.

Yang suddenly noticed the white bandages wrapped around the woman's forearms. How had she not seen them earlier?

"Oh they're doing fine these days. Mostly all I feel is a little tingle on occasion," Reyna replied. "They do get a little sensitive from time to time."

He nodded. "You got pretty lucky. With all that acid damage I thought you might lose feeling in your arms altogether."

Reyna stopped listening halfway through his sentence, however, choosing instead to give Yang a once-over.

"Hey, you never told my you have a beautiful girlfriend following you around," she teased, making Milo chuckle awkwardly.

The blonde smiled and offered a handshake, which was quickly accepted. "Yang Xiao Long. We met back in Beacon and have been inseparable ever since. Isn't that right _sweetie_?"

The young man rolled his eyes and tried not to grin. "Is Clovis around? I'm here to pick up an order."

"An order? Milo, what in the world are you going to do with a pair of garden shears?" Yang irritatedly asked.

Reyna stifled a giggle. "For the best smith in Mistral, Clovis really likes to play jokes on people. Unfortunately he's not here today, but I can fetch his apprentice for you. A word of warning though, she can get a bit excited!" she explained, opening the large door behind her and waving them inside.

Yang glanced around in surprise, then sneered in Milo's direction. "Okay fine, I get the joke now," she said with a smirk. "Anyway, this is nice, but I don't really need any weapons. I manage just fine with my gauntlets."

"We're not here for weapons," he declared, much to her confusion.

Not a second later the door flew open, and they were each showered with bright red rose petals. The red reaper looked absolutely giddy, nearly bouncing with excitement as she held a large black case in her arms.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled, seemingly too loud for her small frame and young age. "I couldn't believe it when Milo asked me and Clovis to make this and it was really hard to make but we kept trying and finally made something that works and hopefully you like it and it works and-"

"Ruby!" Reyna's high pitched voice called from the adjacent room. "You left the red-hot tongs on wood again!"

Yang caught a whiff of something burning, noticing saw her sister's eyes widen and her cheeks flush.

"I-ah have to go..." she said, placing the case on the table and then then whipped around the corner, showering them once again in rose petals.

Milo brushed himself off, then gestured for Yang to open the gift, giving her a wide smile. She sneered at him inquisitively before stepping up, flipping the latches with an audible click.

He smiled when her jaw went slack, her eyes flickering to his with a look of astonishment on her face. No doubt she was wondering how much a new prosthetic arm costed, though he actually earned it through a simple favor.

She reached out with her left arm, brushing her fingers across the black and gold smooth surface, and admiring the sleek design.

"I-I don't know what to say," she quietly breathed. "This is amazing..."

"Well are you going to test it out or just stare at it all day?" he teased, earning a quick jab to his shoulder.

With some assistance and after working out a kink or two, Yang was able to swap out her old, finicky arm for the shiny new one. She took it slowly, taking in the completely different feel of the new prosthetic.

He ensured that the designs were specifically adjusted for her size and strength, making it respond as close to her natural arm as possible. The result was more like a human-machine interface, the prosthetic registering in the brain the same way her real arm would. With the proper sensors, she could theoretically regain the sense of touch, though that kind of technology was not yet even in the prototype stage.

Milo was pulled back to reality when Yang wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. He returned her embrace, feeling his heartbeat quicken with every moment they were intertwined.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"It was nothing," he responded, stifling a shiver as her left hand brushed the back of his neck. She lifted her head, looking up to meet his gaze.

Lilac. Such an odd color when it came to eyes, yet beautiful in its own unique way. It was so easy to get lost in those eyes, knowing that she cared for him like no one else did.

He found himself nervous, or was it excited? So difficult to say, as were his feelings for her. Was this some lustful desire, caused by three years of loneliness and the life-changing separation from Pyrrha? Perhaps it was simply the stresses of war that confused him, without which the answer would be clear and simple.

One thing was certain; Yang was shockingly gorgeous. From her wavy golden hair, like so many silken strands, to her shapely figure and fair complexion. Strong yet gentle, firm yet kind, beautiful yet deadly.

She was his escape from the world; the shining light in an otherwise darkness-filled life.

Her eyes seemed heavy as they inched ever closer, her breathing deep and warm against his skin. Her fingers dug through his hair, causing a tingling sensation that sent sparks down his spine.

A sudden, sharp stab of fear lashed through his heart, making the whirlwind of emotions grow into a raging storm. This was not the right time. He should wait, pull away before things went too far. Logic dictated that this could only lead to more pain than was already inevitable.

As it happened, he loved her too much. His feelings triumphed over his logic, leaving him powerless. He gave in to that feeling, knowing this was the way things ought to be. She was everything to him, and he would do anything to make her happy and keep her safe.

Milo didn't resist when Yang slowly pulled him down, their lips so close he could almost feel it...

The cursed door was flung open as Reyna barged in, eyes glued to a clipboard she held. "Okay, so I just need you to sign this for the warranty, and then you can be on your way!"

"Ugh! I had him and everything!"

The young woman looked up at her customers, noticing the bright red tint on each of their faces, and Yang's fierce glare burning straight at her. "Did you always have red eyes? I could have sworn they were more like a lightish-purple earlier..." she asked, intrigued to meet someone with the same rare eye color.

Yang turned back to Milo, gritting her teeth in frustration. "I am going to kill her."

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" the Huntress asked, noticing the laughter that Milo was desperately trying to hide.

"No, just give me the clipboard," the young blonde nearly ripped it from Reyna's grasp, scribbled her signature on the marked line, then shoved it back into the woman's arms.

"Do we need to do anything with this?" Yang asked the avian, waving a hand at her old prosthetic.

"I would keep it as a backup," he answered with a shrug, "but you don't have to. Ruby could just use it as spare parts if you don't want it."

Expelling a deep breath laced with anger and disappointment, she placed the old piece in the box and latched it shut. "Let's get going," she said, a slight edge in her voice.

When she walked past, Reyna gave Milo a questioning look and nodded in the brawler's direction.

" _She'll be fine,"_ he mouthed, then bade her farewell.

They left the shop and quickly made their way back to Haven. The longer they walked, the more Milo found himself pondering the real reason he needed to wait before showing Yang his true feelings.

He wondered if his friends would accept him after all this, if at least Yang would be able to forgive him for the things he was going to do.

War brings out the worst in people, making them do truly terrible things, and he was certainly no exception.

* * *

Jaune took a deep breath, trying to calm his erratic nerves. While Pyrrha's new rule about rest helped him with thinking clearly, it did nothing to help him prepare for meeting with real military. They were not likely to take him seriously, but needed his input nonetheless.

That is why he was, at the moment, following Weiss to her older sister's quarters in the Atlas Embassy of Mistral. The outside of the building looked just like all the others in the city, but the inside was completely different from the tight-fitting homestyle feel in most of Mistral. The Atlesian style was often bright white, pristine and uniform. Everywhere he looked, not a speck was out of place. It was a bit unnerving, to see such a state of near-obsessed perfection, seeming so cold and distant compared to designs in Mistral and Vale.

When he questioned the young heiress, she irritatingly stated, ' _That's just the way things are in Atlas_ ,' and refused to go into further detail. He smiled at her stubbornness, remembering that she acted the same way in Beacon. Some things never change.

After climbing quite a number of steps and trudging through a seemingly endless maze of halls and doorways, they finally came to Winter's room. Before Weiss lifted her hand to knock, they heard what sounded like shouting, just barely too quiet to understand what was being said.

"Um... If she's busy, maybe we should come back later," he suggested, adjusting the large roll of paper in his arms.

Weiss ignored him completely, her head tilting slightly in confusion. "Who could she be talking to?"

Pursing her lips, she squinted in suspicion before pounding her fist on the door in rapid succession. "Winter! Jaune is here. He says he needs to talk to you about Mistral!" she yelled across the door, making certain that she would be heard.

There was silence for a moment, then a dull thud of something large making contact with something hard. A few voices more could be heard, followed by light steps coming toward the door.

" _-so I have to answer the door!_ " the woman said, her voice just starting to sound through the thick walls.

The door opened just enough for Winter to poke her head through, revealing her slightly pink cheeks, lips pressed in a firm frown, and a few strands of hair out of place. Jaune raised his eyebrow, noticing that she seemed a bit less composed than the last time he saw her. The Schnees were well known for their 'holier-than-thou' attitude, but Winter looked quite flustered at the moment.

"Yes?" she blurted, her inquisitive gaze scanning the intruders. When her icy blue eyes fell on her younger sister, she froze for a moment in surprise. "Weiss!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my sister, of course," she answered, placing her hands on her hips.

A pause followed as the older woman pulled back, slightly pushing the door closed so they could not see inside. She then pulled the door wide, allowing the both of them to enter.

Jaune was disappointed, though not surprised, to see that Winter's abode was not dissimilar from the rest of the embassy; spotless and monochromatic. They were led to the adjacent room where they sat down on a very expensive leather livingroom set, divided by a table at its center. A few brass light fixtures stood at opposite corners of the room, positioned to keep the room bright.

When he sat and fell back against the seatrest, he could tell that these cushions were indeed very, _very_ expensive, feeling the blissful world of comfort that is a perfectly made chair.

If it weren't for the obnoxious _squak_ that echoed throughout the room, he never would have realized that there was a red-eyed crow perched high in the corner, its tiny claws gripping the gently curved brass light fixture. Another tally to add to the growing list of oddities involving Winter.

"Why is there a bird in here?" he decided to ask.

The woman seemed to tense, her eyes flickering up toward the feathered creature. "I'm taking care of him for a friend," she said, sounding quite sure of herself. He glanced at Weiss, who simply waved it off.

If Weiss seemed to accept it, perhaps this behavior wasn't so odd after all.

Once Weiss sat down, she was not slow in her interrogation. Even before they got settled in, she was throwing her sister some very mean looks. "Who were you talking to just now?"

Winter's eyes narrowed and she frowned once again. "I... was on the phone," she declared after a not-so-subtle hesitation.

"And who were you talking to?" the heiress continued, a look of suspicion on her face.

The woman pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "That is confidential. Atlas logistic information and such," she responded, though Jaune could tell that something about what she was saying made her uncomfortable.

Maybe it was bad news, he thought.

"Are you certain it wasn't someone that _Father_ might get mad about?"

Winter gasped, her jaw going firm as she clenched her teeth in anger. That was _clearly_ a sensitive topic, and he noted to keep himself from mentioning it. "Weiss, that is more than enough."

"I'm just saying that we're both in enough trouble, so don't get him in a fuss again just so you can chase some hooligan all over the world. What was his name again? I can hardly remember."

The crow let out a sound that reminded Jaune way too much of a childish snicker.

"I am doing no such thing, Weiss!" she defended, becoming flustered once again. He thought it was odd that Weiss didn't seem to notice the color returning to her sister's cheeks.

"Are you sure? I remember when I was a kid you said you thought he was 'dreamy' and you wouldn't let Father-"

"Weiss!" the woman shouted, jumping to her feet. "Not. Another. Word." Her voice was soft, but lost none of its menacing promise of wrath. The crow squawked again, this time sounding much like a laugh that he could have _sworn_ he's heard before.

"Silence, Qrow!" Winter shouted, pointing a threatening finger in the bird's direction. Surprisingly, the bird chattered a quiet, unintelligible response. "I _will_ cage you!" she threatened, and the creature suddenly went silent.

"The crow's name is Crow?" Jaune asked with a raised eyebrow. "That seems a little unoriginal..."

Winter closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Yes, it is quite ironic."

"Ironic?" Weiss asked, but the woman simply ignored the question.

"Now you," she pointed at Jaune, and he felt his nerves surge once again. "You wanted to discuss something with me?"

"Ah- yes!" he fumbled with his rolls of paper, then considered the prying eyes of the heiress. It was imperative that as few people as possible knew of his full plan. "Actually, Weiss, I can take it from here. You should get back to your team," he said, putting a little bit of a push in his tone, hoping she would catch on. Thankfully, the young woman merely studied him for a moment before finally agreeing. She bade her sister farewell, and left the both of them to their devices.

The moment the door clicked shut, Jaune unrolled the large map and placed it on the center table. Winter questioningly raised her eyebrow as he stepped back, then her eyes widened when she recognized a full battle-plan written out on a large map of the city of Mistral.

"Now before you say anything, I have devoted the past three months on nothing but this very strategy. I have thought of every outcome, every asset, every aspect of the coming assault, and found a way to counter it, with the exception of one problem," he explained, his jaw firm and his voice serious.

"That is?" she asked, deciding to at least humor the young man.

"Based on prior attacks, the White Fang deploy roughly five dozen Bullheads in a major offensive. We don't have enough defense against that kind of armored aerial attack, and I need to keep their aircraft from dropping troops at the center of the city," he stated, trying to make sure the Schnee understood the gravity of the situation.

"With this plan in place and their Bullheads kept at bay, I can _guarantee_ that they will not take the city. Does Atlas have anything to offer? Can you do anything?"

Winter said nothing, taking the time to carefully inspect Jaune's map in its entirety. He had drawn a spiked-lattice defensive line around key points in Mistral, even going as far as to provide munitions routes for resupply.

As she continued to read, she realized that this wasn't a plan to fend off a small, one-time attack. Implemented correctly, this could easily hold a large army at bay for _months._

She looked up at him, surprised by just how thorough he was in his strategy. "How many people have seen this?" she asked.

"Many people know small pieces of the plan, but only you and I have seen its complete structure," he responded. "A-actually maybe Pyrrha Nikos, my partner. I fell asleep a couple times and she might've seen the plan."

"That doesn't concern me," she stated. "Atlas cannot help you. The airships were badly damaged in Vale and repairs will not be finished for some time. To be quite honest, even if they were finished I doubt the would send them."

Jaune sighed, rubbing his temples. Without enough air support, he would need to pull some of the outer defenses to compensate, leaving the walls susceptible to a breakthrough.

Winter seemed to stare at the crow for a moment, as if searching for an answer. She turned back to the young Huntsman, hands clasped behind her back and her posture straightening. "What do you know about the Four Maidens?"

* * *

Even as he was being led to her, the woman named 'Spring,' Jaune could hardly believe what he'd been told. Four women that embodied the seasons, using actual _magic_ rather than dust.

The idea of it was rather unbelievable, yet he decided that even if it turned out to be a hoax, it was worth a look into. Thinking of magic, and the implications thereof, reminded him of what he witnessed in the depths of Amity Coliseum.

Resurrection. The reanimation of ashes, defying all logical explanation, something completely impossible, something... _magical._

If magic was real... then did other mythical things come with it? If Milo is quite literally the magical embodiment of a phoenix, are there more people who align with mythical aspects? Jaune promised himself he would look into it, provided he's given enough time.

They were walking for what felt like an eternity as Winter led him deep into the inner city of Mistral. Light was growing dim as the sun fell, making his stomach churn uncomfortably when his eyes fell on a dark corridor or alley.

He knew he shouldn't be afraid. With the best soldier in Atlas in front of him and his shield covering his back, he had plenty of protection. Still, something was unsettling about this part of the city.

"You should know, there is a guard posted with her. She's very good but she might be a little... shall we say 'on edge.' On her last mission her entire division was killed, leaving her the only person left."

Jaune shook his head, feeling pity for them all.

Eventually they stood before a small door that had no outside handle. He was about to knock when Winter snatched his hand and put a finger to her lips, meaning silence was needed.

She reached up with one hand and gently tapped the door just once, then wordlessly counted to five and tapped again.

He felt, more than heard, something moving behind him and whirled around, drawing his sword to meet the intruder. Before his blade could fully slide from it's sheath, a strong hand gripped his arm and he felt the cold pinch of a knife pressed against the underside of his chin.

"Don't you dare move," a rough woman's voice threatened.

"Stand down, Rey!" Winter hissed. "The boy is Ozpin's pupil, and is not to be harmed!"

He was promptly released, and raised his eyebrows when he turned to inspect his attacker.

The middle-aged woman's face was painted matte black, and she wore a dark plastic mask covering her nose and mouth. Her clothes reminded him of Milo's original combat gear; all black, hard leather with a shadow-blending cloak.

She reached to her wrist and pressed a button, making the door let out an audible click as the latch was released. The soldier pushed them both inside, checking for any prying eyes before closing the door once again. The next room was quite bright, and he squinted when his eyes failed to adjust quickly.

"Jaune, this is Rey. She is ex-Atlesian special forces, Shadow division," Winter announced.

Looking to her once again, he saw the skeptical frown she was giving him, along with something else under those eyes that he couldn't quite place.

"Rey, this is Jaune. Year one Beacon student, being groomed for leadership by Headmaster Ozpin. He helped with the evacuation of Vale, and I didn't understand Ozpin's interest until I saw one of his battle strategies for Mistral. He leaves no detail unchecked."

"Almost," he corrected.

"Why are you here?" she questioned, her expression showing nothing but the coldness in her eyes.

"I need help against the Bullhead threat in the coming attack on Mistral. Winter said that 'Spring' would be able to help," he explained, hoping she would allow him to meet with her.

The woman circled him, inspecting his stance and build, watching how he quickly became nervous under her scrutinizing eye. "You must understand that the maidens are being hunted. We have already lost Summer and Fall, and I will not let Spring be taken under my watch. Therefore, in order to keep her location secret..."

Jaune's scream of surprise was muffled as a bag was thrown over his head.

* * *

Blake fidgeted nervously, curling her long black hair through her fingers as she sat next to a large oak tree. It almost seemed like a nice night, with a light breeze flowing through the trees and not a single cloud to block out the sea of twinkling stars in the skies above. Things were calm and tranquil, as good a place as any to settle down and read a nice book by scroll light.

If it weren't for the fact that she was waiting for the leader of the White Fang, she would be doing that very thing.

It wasn't a decision she came to lightly; Seeing the refugees firsthand, and knowing all the destruction and death that would be caused if an attack on Mistral would occur... she had to do _something_ , no matter how small of a chance she had to succeed.

Her ears twitched in the direction of the rustling bushes to the left, and she slowly stood to meet Adam face to face. It had been so long since they last spoke to each other, just the two of them conversing about life while gazing up at the stars.

She shook those memories away, knowing all of that was now in the past.

"Blake," he called, his voice a mere whisper. A smile grew and he stepped forward with his arms spread in a show of non-hostility. "Finally, you're coming to your senses," he laughed joyously, stepping closer to capture her in a long-awaited embrace.

When she stepped away and uncomfortably crossed her arms, his smile disappeared. "I'm not here for the reasons you think," she somberly said.

His brow furrowed and he frowned. "You didn't come here to..." he trailed off, shaking his head with a disappointed sigh when she didn't give him an answer. "Then why would you bother?"

"I-" the young faunus hesitated. "Because I don't want to fight you," she explained.

"Because you _can't_ fight me," he corrected.

"What difference does it make? Violence only leads to more violence, the war with Schnee is enough evidence of that," she rebuked.

"We're way past that, Blake. At this point, the only way to get what we need is to take it," he insisted, stepping closer. "If you still care at all about me, you'll come with me."

"If you care about me you'll stop this!" she countered, her heart quickening as their argument increased in volume. "Even if I did go with you, how could I live with myself if I'm at war with my friends?"

"The same way I've lived with myself, while at war with someone I love!"

Silence permeated their surroundings as Adam realized his efforts were fruitless. Blake's loyal devotion to a cause is perhaps her most admirable trait, despite the tragedy that it wasn't _his_ cause that she fought for.

"I... I don't want to fight either side," she lamented, seeming to be coming to the realization herself for the first time.

"If you won't fight for either side, then what are you doing with _them_?" he questioned.

Blake froze, her mouth opening and closing but no answer escaping her lips. The shake of her head was nearly imperceptible, but he could see her sadness by the way her ears pulled back and hugged the side of her head.

Clenching his teeth, he felt anger surge within him. "One day, you're going to wake up and understand why I'm really doing this," he scolded.

As he started to leave, a guilty pain forced him to stop and protect her just one more time. "Mistral will burn for its crimes against the faunus. Get out while you can," he urged, and with a heavy heart he pushed his way through the brush and back to the White Fang without her.

* * *

" _ **So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."**_

 **-Romans 14:19**


	22. The Siege of Mistral

**Beta: Dark Whisper**

* * *

The Fall Project

War

The Siege of Mistral

* * *

Milo stared at the fading light of the starry sky as the sun crept it's way over the horizon, marking the dawn of a new day. It was a peaceful morning, with a virtually cloudless day of early spring. The gentle air flowing against his wings felt chilling as he soared ever onward, a few dozen feet above the treeline.

Suppressing the growing anxiety in his chest, he angled himself downward and dove below the forest ceiling, immediately pulling his wings taught and dodging the oncoming pillars of wood at breakneck speeds. Upon reaching a small clearing, he somersaulted forward and slid to a stop, coming within a few inches of several painful-looking thorn bushes.

The taunting sound of slow clapping came from behind him, and he rolled his eyes in annoyance as he turned toward the source of his disdain. Sitting down on a fallen log was the grey-haired menace known as Mercury Black.

"It's about time you showed up," the twisted young man tested.

"Let's just get this over with," Milo grumbled.

Mercury was the kind of man that Milo would've hunted down if he still worked for Atlas. Apparently, the young man had already garnered a reputation in the ranks of the White Fang as a cruel individual. He disliked Milo, mostly due to jealousy of all the attention he so easily attained.

Milo could feel the corruption in his aura. Mercury was a malevolent creature that held profound darkness in his heart, guaranteeing he would eventually get himself into more trouble than he could handle, whether it be by Milo's own blades or someone else's.

As for the others in the clearing, it was less clear. Emerald, leaning against a nearby tree trunk, was only doing any of this because she was promised a life of wealth and prosperity. Her strong instinct of self-preservation would likely force her to bolt if the slightest thing were to go wrong with the White Fang. She seemed indifferent toward him, and he was just fine with that.

Adam Taurus absolutely, positively, _hates_ Milo. The man believed that skirting the boundary of friend and foe was beyond cowardly. To extend the matter, he thought Milo's methods were extreme and too often went at odds with the goals of the White Fang. Then again, Adam seemed to hate just about anyone that even slightly differs from his perspective, so Milo paid no heed to the bull faunus' opinion. That didn't stop him from taunting the man, of course...

The White Fang leader breathed deep, pushing all his qualms aside. "We are ready. Do you have any new information?"

"Well for one, you idiots are too late for an easy operation. They've organized a street-to-street defense that rivals Atlesian military doctrine," Milo explained. "Getting through on foot won't likely work in your favor, even with the Grimm backing you up."

"They don't have enough air defenses for what we're bringing," Mercury laughed. "We'll dive in at the center of the city while the borders are distracted and break through one of their lines. The chaos after that will leave the city in shambles."

"We took them by storm before and we'll do so again," Adam declared. "Even with only a small portion of our forces, the city should fall quickly enough. What of your teams?" he questioned. "You promised information, now it's time to deliver."

Milo thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "There are three leaders, two of which are barely combative but rather strategic. Each team has a fighter, a defensive specialist, a fast-moving striker, and a tactician," he explained. "Jaune is forcing everyone to stay close together, which makes them a force to be reckoned with."

"I'm not fighting blondie again. She hits like a truck," Mercury blurted.

"Perhaps we should simply avoid them," Adam considered. "Anything else?" he asked, but Milo shook his head.

"Nothing..." the red-haired man hesitated. "Nothing about Blake?"

"That depends. What, _exactly,_ is your interest in _her_?" Milo teased, chuckling to himself as he earned yet another hateful glare. "She's doing just fine, last time I checked. Although I noticed she seemed rather distracted. Would I be correct in assuming that you two have recently spoken?"

Adam frowned, giving him a harsh glare. "That's none of your concern."

"Everything is my concern," the avian declared, condescendingly shaking his head. "If you can't keep yourself away from Blake, then maybe you should relax for a minute and let go of this ridiculous 'down with the humans' campaign and go talk to her."

"You of all people should know what crimes humans are capable of," Adam hissed.

"I won't judge millions because of the actions of a few," Milo countered, his teeth clenched.

"Yet you would condemn anyone for the sake of a mere handful of stupid teens!" the man shouted.

Milo's golden eyes flared. "You don't know anything about me. I _do_ have my own goals, and they are far more important than 'a handful of stupid teens,' as you say."

A moment of silence passed before the young avian recollected himself. "Are we done here?" he asked.

"We are," Adam answered.

"Stay alive," Milo said, but the bull faunus laughed.

"I won't be fighting today. I need to be in Atlas tomorrow to plan the offensive against Ironwood," he announced.

"What? That doesn't make sense," the avian said with confusion. "You trust your lieutenants to get the job done?"

The man let out a slight chuckle. "Perhaps we are simply 'testing the waters.'"

Rather than question him further, the avian scowled at him and took flight with a beat of his stretched wings.

Milo sighed, releasing the tension in his shoulders as he made his way through the forest once again, trying to alleviate the growing stress before he returned to Mistral. A sudden movement in the corner of his eye caused his heart to lurch in fear, and he snapped into action.

He dove on the figure hiding below, his hand moving in a blur as he snatched the white collar of a very small woman and pulled hard. His other hand instinctively drew one of his swords as he lifted her off the ground and pinned her against the tree, tip of the blade aimed for her throat.

Neo let out a soundless gasp, desperately holding out her hands to stop him. He blinked in surprise once he realized who it was that had been spying on him.

He reared back, poised to strike. The woman's multi-colored eyes went wide and she redoubled her efforts, kicking and clawing at his arm in an attempt to get free.

Milo knew he couldn't hurt her. He sheathed his weapon and gripped her collar tight so she couldn't run off or teleport away.

"Neo, I need you to stop and listen," he hissed.

She ignored him, tugging at his arms. The way she panicked, thrashing about in a frenzy, told him that she knew. She saw him talking to Adam and his cronies, and she heard him share information with them.

"Listen! I made a deal with Adam to protect our friends. I give him little bits of information every now and then, and they don't get targeted," Milo explained. "If they know I did this, they'll never trust me again, but I had to, Neo. I _had_ to protect them at any cost! Understand?"

Neo gulped, her eyes wide with fear as she tried to squirm out of his powerful grip. He knelt down, putting their eyes at equal level.

" _Calm down_. I'm not going to hurt you," he reassured. "I just need you to promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?"

Slowly, she nodded.

"You _promise_?" he warned, the harsh grip making her wince in pain.

She nodded her head again and mouthed 'promise.'

"Thank you," he said, letting her go and standing up. "Now get back to Mistral," he ordered before taking flight once again.

Neo stood, trembling as she tried to catch her breath and process what she had seen.

Milo was aiding the enemy. But just how much did he reveal?

* * *

On a day with crystal clear skies and a silent breeze, the White Fang made their move.

Jaune was nervous, but not worried. He had spent months planning for this, making certain that everyone was prepared for anything the radical group could throw at them. He studied past attacks, analyzed their varied patterns and tools utilized in each attack.

Using that data, he created a system of defense that should be sufficient. With aid from Winter Schnee, he had the Mistral military conduct drills to practice his strategic placement of weapons and ordinance, and managed to keep his overall plan a secret.

Dozens of weapon stations littered the cityscape, all pointed outward for the sole purpose of shooting down anything that comes in their path. Each emplacement was supported by two military squads and a pair of seasoned huntsmen, along with supplies being run by the city firefighters and Academy trainees.

The 'inner ring,' as Jaune described it, was guarded by full teams of Huntsmen and Huntresses, where most of the White fang were expected to land. The city's center was to house the hiding populace and be guarded by the overwhelmingly large number of Academy trainees and staff members. Should the White Fang come close to breaking into the center shelters, the Huntsmen were to close in from the outer rings and capture as many as they could.

The young leader asked Professor Ozpin to relay his instructions to the Huntsmen, saying they were supposed to overwhelm the white fang before they had a chance to break through the military lines from behind. Once the White Fang is defeated, then the Huntsmen are supposed to turn their focus to the city walls and reinforce it against the Grimm.

With all his plans finally in place, he waited until the scouts reported that the radical faunus' forces vacated their base in the east while the Grimm surged. Once he got word, Jaune went straight to the spot he had discussed with the Spring Maiden a few weeks before; on one of the high balconies of Haven Academy.

He wasn't sure what he expected when he met the woman, and was a bit surprised to see an average height blonde-haired, blue-eyed, middle aged woman with an air of formality about her. She was obviously tired of being kept away from contact for so long, having little more than Rey as company. As a result, when Jaune asked her to aid in the protection of Mistral, she was more than eager to comply.

She and Rey were waiting for him when he made it to the balcony with Pyrrha acting as his shadow. Even from their high position he could hear the frantic noise of a city in motion, feeling pride in the fact that they were prepared this time around.

"Are you ready?" he asked the Maiden, hoping she would be able to pull off the seemingly impossible task he'd given her. At least he _thought_ it was impossible. If magic was real then he would have to seriously rethink a large number of his strategies.

She nodded eagerly, the three of them watched in awe as she cupped her hands together and blew into her closed hand. Tiny sparks of light started to spill over as her hands filled with a glowing fluid energy, then she threw it into the air, casting it toward the skies. Jaune felt something that made the hair on his arms stand on end and was nearly thrown off his feet when a rising wind blew fiercely upward.

Lightning crackled high above as dark, rolling clouds billowed outward from nothing. After mere seconds, the sunlit sky was darkened by thick clouds, heavy rainfall pouring down along with stunning gusts of wind that tore them in all directions.

As the thick droplets of rain started to soak deep into his clothing, Jaune silently prayed that his plan would work. If he failed, the consequences would be devastating.

* * *

Yang was carrying a large crate of dust when she first saw the enemy aircraft peek over the horizon. At first it looked like nothing more than a flock of nevermores; a cloud of tiny black specks approaching slowly from the distance.

As they neared, however, she looked more closely and could see the warping shimmer of heat around each one, a telltale byproduct of the crystalized propellant they used as fuel. She moved quicker, picking up a large machine gun and slinging it over her shoulder to run it to the specific position she was told.

When she eventually reached the spot, she handed the large weapon off to two Mistral military personnel, who quickly finished setting up the emplacement. They took their places behind the gun, one of them operating the weapon while the other steadied the belt of ammunition that fed into the side.

As Yang watched the bullheads came closer and closer, a nervous anticipation grew in her belly. The young blonde's concerns shifted to her friends as she turned to run back toward the center of the city. She sincerely hoped Jaune's plan would work.

Yang ran through the abandoned streets of Mistral when lightning suddenly cracked across the sky, nearly making the young woman trip in surprise. Her eyes widened as a dark cloud billowed out from above the center of the academy, growing into a raging storm within seconds. The tearing winds and heavy rain felt like icy needles pricking her skin.

Shielding her eyes from the downpour with a raised arm, she looked up at the sky just as another flash of lightning arced outward. The bolt lanced through many of the White Fang's bullheads, causing brilliant flashes of white followed by several balls of fire descending from the skies.

The buildings around her shuddered as a powerful gust of wind curved down, forcing her to brace herself on a nearby railing to keep from being blown over. The bullhead fleet of the White Fang had no chance against the fearsome gale, with many of the aircraft dropping from the sky in uncontrolled freefall.

Yang was shocked by the sudden turn in the obviously unnatural weather, marveling at the absolutely stunning amount of dust that must've been used to localize a storm over the city.

The shriek of twisting metal punished her ears, making her cringe as a bone-jarring crash tore the warehouse to her right to pieces, a large bullhead coming to an abrupt stop beneath the shattered building. Yang whistled, amused by what was essentially a close call.

Her smile disappeared, however, when the rubble began to shift. A side hatch of the bullhead flew open, held up by a masked young man gritting his teeth to combat the strain.

"Go, go, go!" he ordered, pushing more than a dozen masked White Fang soldiers out of the small craft.

The young brawler was about to charge in and start knocking heads, but remembered the instructions Jaune had given everyone. She was told to try and avoid fighting them outright, give them every chance to put their weapons down and surrender. He said it would help all of us if we show mercy.

After a few moments of deliberation, Yang agreed to follow his instructions. While she liked to fight, spurning unnecessary hatred was no way to end the war.

"Drop your weapons and surrender," she demanded, readying her gauntlets and raising her fists in defense. "No one needs to get hurt."

Ignoring her, they brandished their weapons and charged forward. Yang met their charge with her own, but slid at the last moment to trip the first few attackers.

When she rose to her feet she was surrounded, but as the attacks came Yang simply swept them aside or dodged out of the way with ease. It felt strange, as if the insurgents were moving much slower than they should be.

She used that to her advantage, quickly incapacitating one soldier after another with precise jabs and punches. Somewhere along the way she got lost in the fighting, letting her mind drift as her instincts fought for her.

There were others who arrived; a huntsman or two that Yang noticed taking down a few stragglers at a time in the chaos.

When the last White Fang member fell to the ground with a pained yelp, she came swiftly back to reality. She glanced around her feet at the dozen groaning soldiers, her eyebrows raised in surprise and her lips slowly curling into a prideful smile.

"That was some fast moving," a familiar woman's voice announced. "Good to see that new arm of yours is working well."

Yang turned with a half-cocked grin, mildly surprised to see the woman from the blacksmith shop smiling back at her. The woman who _infuriatingly_ interrupted her kiss with Milo! The red-eyed huntress stabbed the tip of her large sword into the ground and leaned against the hilt, completely ignoring the glare she received from the brawler. Behind the woman, a Samurai-looking huntsman was tying up the unconscious attackers.

"Thanks, uh..." Yang started, quickly realizing she didn't fully remember the woman's name. "Reyna!" she finally blurted, earning a light-hearted giggle.

"You might wanna work on making less of a mess," the Huntress suggested, pointing at the blonde's clothes.

Yang's grin faded as she looked down, letting out a sound of disgust when she saw what mess she was referring to. Her entire body was littered with splotches and clumps of mud and dirt from sliding around on the ground during the fight.

"You better get going," Reyna winked. "Your boyfriend will be worried if you wait any longer."

The blonde sneered at the older woman. "Oh, he hardly ever worries about me," she said dismissively.

"I wouldn't be so sure," she stated, a hint of knowing in her voice. "I think he worries about you plenty."

Yang turned, shocked that this woman would know _anything_ about him, let alone Milo's interest in her. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you should _look for him_ , go! Go!" the woman insisted, waving Yang onward.

She said farewell before she set into a jog once again, contemplating Reyna's words. She knew that Milo did worry about her from time to time, but how would Reyna know that?

The distant crackle of gunfire was very distracting, and although she knew it came from the edge of the city's limits it made her quicken her pace anyway.

A minute or so later another powerful downdraft chilled her to the bone, making her shiver as she heard another, much smaller crash behind her. She stopped and turned around, sighing in irritation from yet another interruption.

Struggling to stay airborne and cursing up a storm of his own was Milo, who was being tossed around by the powerful elements. One particularly strong gust caught his open wings, making Yang flinch as he was remorselessly thrown head first into the side of a building. She considered running over to help break his fall, but stopped when he deftly twisted mid air and managed to land safely.

"Having a little trouble?" she teased, but had to suppress the urge to check his head for any wounds.

"Oh _ha-ha,_ " he joked, rubbing his throbbing head. "I wish Jaune gave me a little warning before unleashing some kind of insane super-storm!" Still grumbling to himself, he grabbed her sleeve and pulled her under a nearby awning to shield them from the heavy rain.

"You think Jaune's behind this?" she questioned, holding a hand out to feel the cold rainfall.

"Absolutely," he responded. "The timing was flawless. The Bullheads came in and were all knocked down in less than a minute."

"Maybe we just got lucky," she shrugged, lifting an eyebrow as Milo raised one of his wings and shook it violently. "What are you doing?"

Groaning in irritation, he held the wing outstretched in her direction. "Feel," he ordered.

The young blonde sheepishly extended a hand, brushing her fingers against the dulled golden feathers. Rather than the warm and comfortable softness she had come to admire, she nearly recoiled when she felt heavy dampness permeating every layer. Withdrawing her now-soaked hand, she shook the warm liquid off.

"They soak up water like a sponge," he declared with clear frustration. "No matter what I do I can't get rid of it and flying is completely impossible with how heavy they get."

"That does seem problematic," she jested.

He glared harmlessly in her direction before refocusing on drying his wings. "In any case, we need to find Jaune. If all the White Fang came at us with was a handful of Bullheads and some Grimm, then I think it's safe to assume that this isn't over."

"What do you mean?" she asked, aiding him by raking her fingers through his feathers to loosen some of the water.

"I have to talk to him. This was a pretty small attack, and I think they might be just testing the defenses. Something else at work, whether it's here or elsewhere."

"Then I suppose we should get moving," Yang urged. "Jaune is at the academy, but it looks like you're going to have to walk."

Milo shrugged. "It's not like I have much of a choice."

They both made their way slowly toward the center of the city, doing their best to ignore the slowing rainfall. They spoke only about the battle, until Yang remembered what the blacksmith's daughter told her.

"So when did you talk to Reyna?" she questioned. "She helped me with a few insurgents not too long ago and said you were worried about me."

"Did she now?" he chuckled. "I wonder where she got that idea."

"Well you had to have said something," Yang implied. "And how did it just so happen that she was the one to run into me? Sounds a little too convenient if you ask me."

The young man lifted his hands in guilty surrender, "Alright, you caught me. I wanted someone to keep an eye on you once things started, just to be on the safe side."

"I can handle myself!" she shouted, "I don't need a babysitter, I'm almost eighteen and _you_ put me through hell just to be a better fighter," she said, nudging his arm.

"You're welcome," he replied smugly.

"And while I _admit_ that the training was extremely helpful," she continued. "It was still a huge pain."

"Oh, don't be such a sissy."

"Says the man who was complaining about how 'his poor wings are getting heavy' because of a little drizzle!" she countered.

He held a hand to his heart in mock pain. "Your words... They hurt!"

The two of them shared a laugh as they neared Haven Academy.

* * *

Ozpin stood at the top of the Mistral Communications Tower, an eerie grin plastered on his face despite the battle being waged outside. His gaze followed one individual; a Mister Jaune Arc, who dashed from console to console to answer the raised hands of the Haven students currently working as communications operators.

The young man set up the system himself. Just inside of each five-hundred foot section of defenses, there sat a small 'evaluation center' as Jaune had described them. These points relayed information from the squads below to the Mistral CCT and vice versa. This allowed the commander, in this case Jaune himself, to know anything and everything that was happening on the battlefield at a given time, ensuring that he could respond to problems extremely quickly.

What had Ozpin smiling, however, was the fact that it seemed as though Jaune had already found his position as a military General. He moved quickly around the room, answering questions and asking a few of his own every so often, and before long he had earned the cooperation of everyone in the room.

The work of leadership was too much for any one man of course, but with his acting 'lieutenants', Winter Schnee, Cadence Claret, and to Ozpin's neverending surprise, Cardin Winchester, responding to issues became much more manageable.

"I've just received word that the prison has been overrun," one operator suddenly informed Winter. "Mercury Black led a small team that caused a breakout."

The young Atlesian commander considered her options for a moment before shaking her head and turning to the young leader. "Jaune, the Grimm are keeping my men too busy. Any unnecessary movement could be catastrophic."

He thought for a moment, then looked at Cardin. "Have CFVY move from the south and take on the prison along with two squads. That should be enough."

Cardin couldn't help but express his concern. "But if Mercury tries to hold the prison-"

"Mercury is an honorless coward. He won't stay at the prison," Jaune interrupted.

Ozpin's attention was diverted when the elevator door hissed open, gazing questioningly as Milo and Yang strode in. Moments later, they were halted by Pyrrha. A short, seemingly tense exchange followed, with the young woman eventually pointing them in the direction of the Headmaster.

Ozpin caught the tail end of an argument as the pair approached.

"I told you, I'm over it," he said.

"Then why were you so short with her?" Yang questioned.

The young man rolled his eyes. "She was wasting our time. Should have said 'Jaune's busy talk to Oz instead' rather than try to turn us around."

"That's no reason to get hostile toward someone."

"We'll talk about it later," he concluded, turning to speak the the Headmaster.

"Hello Miss Xiao Long, Mister Aurelius," the old huntsman greeted. "How might I be of assistance?" he asked with a pleased smile.

"I need to inform Jaune that this attack is being carried out by only a small portion the the White Fang forces, and that the rest have moved north."

Ozpin paused, frowning for a moment. "How did you glean this information?"

"I saw them on my scouting mission,' he replied.

The Headmaster thought for a moment, considering the young man's words. "Do you think they are simply waiting to attack again?"

He shook his head. "They were packed for a long trip."

"Then... this attack on Mistral is likely a distraction."

"My thoughts exactly," the avian nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Yang interjected. "You mean to tell me that this wasn't a real attack?"

"I'm saying that most of them left while only a portion attacked here," Milo explained. "If the rest are joining up with another force and moving north while we're holed up here with most of the huntsmen in the eastern hemisphere..."

"Then Atlas will be at risk," Ozpin finished with a concerned expression. "I'll think on this. You two get back to your teams." Milo gave him a stark nod before spinning around and urging Yang back to the lift.

This new information was rather distressing. With the White Fang's intentions so unclear, especially with this new tactic of deception, battling them in the future will be incredibly difficult.

Once this battle ends, there will be little time to deliberate on what to do next.

* * *

Mercury shoved one last bit of brush aside as he broke through the dense forest, catching his breath from the long run. He glanced back, counting the remaining three troops of his unit. His jaw dropped when he saw that two of the escaped convicts managed to keep up with him and his troops. Both were wolf faunus with blood red eyes, panting from the strain of sprinting to catch up to Mercury.

"You have our gratitude for freeing us, human," one of them said with a toothy grin. "We shall pay this forward, I swear it."

"Freedom, at last!" the other happily exclaimed. "Free to hunt once again!"

"No problem," Mercury shrugged.

"I am Cerberus, and this is Fenrir," the eldest brother declared. "I sense you have a certain disposition for violence..."

Another hungry grin.

"How would you like to join our hunt?"

The young criminal couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

" _ **So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."**_

 _ **-**_ **Ephesians 4:14**


	23. The Silver Falls

**Beta: Dark Whisper**

* * *

The Fall Project

War

The Silver Falls

* * *

Since taking up this new job of guarding an extremely powerful woman from the throes of an untold evil, Rey had since learned to accept what she thought to be the impossible. Magic, old myths becoming reality, ancient beings who have walked Remnant for thousands of years... everything she knew from childhood to be simple fantasy was now very, _very_ real. As a result, she had learned to expect the unexpected.

Nevertheless, learning of an adolescent boy with the ability to lead an army certainly would have still topped her short list of impossibilities. Yet here she was, wearing a dress for the first time in four years at a densely packed banquet in said boy's honor. She held a cup of water in her hands rather than a bottle of beer or glass of wine, having given up habitual drinking a year prior.

The place was crowded enough for Rey to feel uncomfortable, being the quiet person that she was. General Ironwood taught her a way to circumvent this however, by pulling away to sit at the edge of the room and simply watch people and guess what kind of behavioral quirks they have.

For example, Jaune Arc's friends were precisely the amalgamation of misfits she expected from Beacon Academy, possibly due to Headmaster Ozpin's severely abstract methods for choosing their teams. There was a black-haired cat faunus who couldn't suppress the movement of her ears, _both_ Schnees with their pompous air of self-confidence, though the eldest of the two appeared to be openly speaking to Qrow Branwen. And smiling. And laughing.

She allowed herself a small grin. Some part of her always hoped for those two, despite their awful breakup years before. It was certainly a bloody mess, one that she remembered clearly. The current CEO of the Schnee Dust Company and Winter's father, Jacques Schnee, forbade their relationship because of company image. When the two ran away together to live their lives as they pleased, the brutal man had Qrow hunted down and beaten to near-death.

She never _wanted_ to tell Jacques where they were hiding, but at the time orders were orders and she followed them to the letter.

Upon scanning the rest of the room, she noticed one Pyrrha Nikos who appeared quite smitten with her team leader, standing close at the blonde's side while he politely conversed with many of the party's patrons. With a few seconds of careful observation, it was clear the young man felt the same, if glances in her direction and an ever-present smile were of any indication.

Moving on, she noticed many more students of Beacon Academy, all friends of Jaune Arc. One of the twins seemed to be in pain, clutching his left abdomen and wincing from time to time, likely a recent battle wound. As for the rest, none of them sparked her interest, though by her count they were missing at least two members. Perhaps they were wounded or killed in Beacon? She never heard of anything like that, so perhaps they were merely running late.

In the meantime, she watched as Mr. Arc was paraded about by Professor Port, who gracelessly introduced him to each and every person in the room. She chuckled at his feeble attempts of escape from the burly old man's vice-like grip, a grin shaping the corners of her mouth as Glynda pried Jaune off of Peter and berated him for mistreatment of students.

While they shared a laugh of Peter's antics, the last two of Jaune's friends entered the room. One was a rather pretty young woman with long blonde hair and a robotic right arm, and the other was a winged faunus that Rey instantly recognized. She gasped the moment she laid eyes on him, coughing up the water she was just drinking. Her face went red from a collection of embarrassment, lack of air, and panic as she turned her head in a hope that the young faunus wouldn't recognize her.

"Are you alright?" the spring maiden's gentle voice questioned, lightly patting her on the back.

The older woman slightly nodded her head and glanced back to Milo, who was staring at her in shock. She watched, wide-eyed, as he nudged his blonde companion and whispered something in her ear, gesturing toward the table full of food. Before moving on he gave her one last glare. No one could've missed the anger in his eyes.

A curse slipped through her teeth as she stood from her seat and spun away, ignoring the maiden's protests. She quickly moved to the nearest doorway, too flustered to realize until it was too late that it was not an exit but a small balcony that overlooked the city of Mistral below. In an effort to appear calm and collected, she continued forward and leaned against the metal rail.

But the arrival of Milo churned up old, painfully repressed memories of her final mission with Atlas.

He was only fifteen when she had assisted in kidnapping him under the orders of Atlesian General James Ironwood. Even when he was so young, they were not ready; this was no average boy, nor even an average student Huntsman. Rey remembered painfully that she could only listen through the comm radio of their Bullhead as he slaughtered a dozen of them in a bloody rage against the raiders invading his home.

Rouge, Jay, Red, even her husband, Gladir...

By tomorrow, that will have been be three years ago. Since then, Milo had grown into what many would consider a fully-fledged Huntsman capable of taking down even the most deadly of targets. She would have no chance against a killing machine like that, even in her prime.

The door opened with a creak and her heart pounded in her chest. She soon found that she was breathless and in mortal danger, of that she was certain. He had every right to kill her, after everything Atlas had done. After everything _she_ had done. In a moment, she realized the truth: this was her fate, as atonement for all the deeds she had committed. A painful death at the hands of someone who's world she tore asunder.

She wondered what he would do. Would he shove her off the balcony and turn back to the party as if nothing happened? Would he simply stab her in the heart with one of his swords, or perhaps snap his fingers and watch the flames dance across her skin?

Rey turned to confront him and braced herself, bearing a frightened expression. The tension in the air was suffocating, and she put a white-knuckled grip on the railing behind her. An inkling of self-preservation rose from within, and she knew she didn't yet want to die. She was protecting someone now, trying to be a part of the few things that were still good in the world. That was worthy of something, or so she hoped.

He continued to walk toward her, his imposing frame and stance forcing her against the rail.

"W-wait. I'm sorry," Rey stammered, swallowing hard. "I know you hate me, but please... don't kill me," the woman begged.

Milo glared at her disapprovingly for a moment before stepping to the side. The railing creaked as he pressed his weight into it and took in the scene of the brightly lit city. "Relax," he told her. "I don't hate you."

"...You don't?" she confusingly questioned.

"Don't forget that I was a soldier too. You followed your orders blindly, but that doesn't mean you're the one to blame," he explained in a solemn, far away voice. He turned his head and glared at her with anger in his fiery golden eyes. "That being said... you'll get no forgiveness or apologies from me. I did what I did to protect my family, and you followed your orders. Because of that my family is dead, and your team is dead, but..." he paused, hit teeth gritting in what could only be rage.

"But we both know who's fault it _really_ is," he concluded with a growl. "You should hate him as much as I do."

For a short time, they stood in uncomfortable silence. Milo stared down into the city with a frown while Rey unwittingly gaped at him.

"Enjoy the party," he said quietly before turning and leaving her to her thoughts.

As the door clicked shut, the ex-Atlesian shuddered, her legs suddenly feeling like jelly. Was he so readily willing to let her go, or was this show of mercy the result of months of thinking?

She decided she ought to return, and nervously made her way back to Spring's side. The younger woman gave her a sidelong glance with a hint of worry.

"What was that about?" she prodded, nosy as ever.

"He's someone I wronged," she hesitantly explained, knowing full well that it was a vast understatement.

"The Angel of Vale? What could you have done to gain his anger?" she questioned with a raised blonde eyebrow.

"They call him an _angel_?" the Atlesian asked in shock.

"He saved many refugees from the kingdom of Vale. Is he not deserving of the title?"

"Angel of Death, maybe," she forebodingly answered, bitterly recalling the complete silence of utter devastation, and his smoldering, unconscious bloody body at the center of a glass crater. She sometimes woke up still smelling and tasting the ash that rained down from the sky that awful day.

Rey glanced over the woman's shoulder, watching as Milo conversed with his many friends. To many he might look happy, but she was a blood-stained warrior who always noticed when someone else had the mark; the tense shoulders, the lying smile, and the ever present sadness in the eyes that was sometimes brightened by loved ones. There was weight on that man's shoulders, and he was close to caving under the pressure.

"And to answer your question," she spoke, turning once again to meet Spring's blue eyes, "I helped in making him into a monster."

* * *

One day after the party, Jaune was instructed by Headmasters Ozpin and Lionheart to take the teams on a short vacation. He agreed, albeit reluctantly, but only after Pyrrha coaxed him into it. A few hours later they took a private airship (courtesy of the Mistral Secretary of Defense) to a place Pyrrha suggested; a little-known jungle oasis called _The Silver Falls_.

The location was gorgeous; a collection of small pools and more than half a dozen waterfalls nestled between two gently sloped mountains. The site was surrounded by flowers and placed stones that structured the landscape to make it all that much more beautiful.

Once everyone got settled, they took their time enjoying themselves and the victory in their own way. The more easy going members of the group; Ruby, the twins, Nora, and Neo, were in the pool splashing around and wreaking havoc while the others took their time to relax, sitting in a close circle to idly chat with each other.

Blake sat in the shade with a new book in her hands, although the smile that usually crept into her cheeks from reading seemed to be missing. Weiss fussed about how impossible it was for her to tan, saying over and over again that her pale skin was a _Schnee curse_.

Jaune and Pyrrha sat close, the latter of which was pestering and prodding for the young leader to put down his scroll and relax for a change. To their left sat Yang and Milo, both of which were watching their teammates at play. Neo stood a few dozen feet up at the top of the waterfall, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Neo, what are you doing? That's way too high, get down from there!" Cade called, standing up from the circle.

"Yeah, don't break your neck on the way down," Yang interrupted. "God forbid you make my day." The young man glared at her with with a harmless threat.

"What? She's a little devil," she countered.

Neo flicked an obscene gesture at them before leaping from the precipice, splashing into the deep water at the far side of the pond.

"Well... you got me there," Cade mumbled.

A few shouts from the pool diverted their attention, and they watched as Ruby and Nora sat atop Mike and Gabe's shoulders and were trying to push each other off. Nora was winning due to her obvious advantage in strength, until Mike suddenly sneezed. In a flash of blue light, both he and the young reaper teleported twenty feet into the air, crying out in surprise and a bit of joy as they fell back down into the pool. Many in the circle rolled their eyes at their friends' barely-sane methods of horseplay.

"I don't understand how they do it," Milo commented, peering over his shoulder at the separated group. "How do they simply set aside the war and play around like nothing is happening?"

"I know what you mean," Jaune responded. "They always seem to be able to pull themselves away pretty easily."

"You two are starting to sound more alike for once," Cade laughed, shifting his weight and grinning when half the group gave him crazed looks. "They're doing what we're _supposed_ to be doing," he explained. "We need to take this time to relax while we still have it."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Milo spoke. "I don't think I can do that," he said. "There's too much going on for me to worry about."

"Exactly! That's what I keep trying to tell _her_ ," Jaune agreed, pointing a thumb at the red-headed Mistrali, who lovingly nudged him in return.

"Well I think Ozpin is right," Yang announced. "If relaxing is what we need, then relaxing is what we'll do." She suddenly grabbed Milo's hand and pulled him to his feet, his wings twitching open as he nearly lost balance.

"Yang, hey-" he protested, trying to both loosen his arm from the young woman's death grip and slow them down a bit before she started dragging him through the dirt.

"Shush, we're relaxing!" the blonde exclaimed as they vanished through the treeline.

The group passed glances between each other before breaking into a fit of giggles and laughter, while Cade snickered and he lifted his scroll, tapping the timer to stop the clock from counting any further. He turned to the pond and raised it up for the others to see. "Seventeen minutes! You guys better pay up!" The twins let out a groan and started swimming toward the edge to grab their wallets.

* * *

Milo followed Yang through paths all too familiar to him as she blindly meandered the grounds, searching for the best spot to talk about things. He of course knew a perfect place, but wasn't sure what kind of 'talk' the young woman wanted to have at this particular time. He considered letting her speak first, but changed his mind. Clearly she wanted to say something, otherwise she never would've pulled him away from the group the way she did.

"So, what's on your mind?" he questioned, giving her a sidelong glance as they trudged forward along the path.

"Nothing, I just thought we could sit and talk," she answered. The young man gave her arm a tug, raising an eyebrow to let her see that he knew better.

Yang rolled her eyes and chuckled, a little bit pleased at how well he seemed to know her. " _Fine_ , you win. All this talk of relaxing got me thinking, and I was curious of what you planned to do once the war is over." The wide eyed look of surprise he had brought a smile to her cheeks, but it faded when his eyes narrowed and he started to frown.

"After..." he stalled, then raked a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "We need to focus on surviving the war first."

"But there has to be _something_ ," she urged, taking a seat in the soft grass. "You can't tell me you haven't thought of what you want, not even once."

He gave a heavy sigh and sat across from her. "I can't think that far ahead. It all depends on..." he hesitated. "Everything depends on where I stand when it all ends."

"What does that mean?!" she demanded in his face. "You are too cryptic."

"Things with me are always complicated," he lamented. "Some things I've done will come to light and people won't respond well to it. Including our friends."

She blinked, unsure of how to respond. In the end she decided to simply nod as a sign of understanding but Milo shook his head and averted his gaze, feeling ashamed. Did he really think his friends would hate him? Was he worried that _she_ would hate him?

If Milo was so worried about his past, then she would have to find a way to make him talk about it. If he understood that she trusts him, then he might just trust her enough to tell her what is bothering him so much. "Well... If you can't think about the future," she spoke hesitantly, "Then tell me about your past, so I can understand your present."

"Yang, it isn't some fairy tale," Milo sternly said, pointing a serious glare in her direction. "Its... Its... There aren't words to describe what I felt that day."

The young woman sighed. No matter how hard she tried, he always seemed to bottle up when it came to the past. She knew it was difficult to bring up, but how can she ever understand what he feels if he never tells her?

"Are you sure you want to know?" Milo asked with a somber, reluctant tone.

The young blonde gaped, slowly nodding as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Follow me."

She obeyed without protest as he quickly stood and turned off the path, trudging strongly through the knee-high brush. She stayed a few feet from his heels, carefully avoiding any thorns and sharp branches that were so common in Mistral forests.

"Where are we going?" she questioned, peering over his shoulder.

"Somewhere no one can eavesdrop," he declared without looking back.

Yang felt anxious, to say the least. After nearly a year of trying to get him to talk, Milo was finally, _finally_ going to tell her! She could, at last, understand what made him tick and that was enough to have her nearly shouting with joy.

Less than a minute passed before they broke through the treeline into a new waterfall, this one with a much smaller pool than the one the other teams were currently resting and playing in.

Milo didn't give her any time to sight-see, however, urging her forward with a touch of her arm and moving along the edge of the pool and toward the waterfall. The water was crystal clear enough for Yang to see small fish swirling in waves beneath the surface.

The low roar of the falls grew as they approached, coming to a stop next to the rock face of the towering waterfall. The stone was almost completely coated with flowering vines that draped downward into the pool at either side of the waterfall. Yang could taste the misty spray and suppressed a shiver from the cool air of the falls as Milo carefully scanned the forest around them.

"What are you looking for?" she irritably questioned.

"Making sure nobody followed us," was his only reply. Once he was certain the coast was clear, he took a few more steps toward the cliff face and reached for the vines.

Yang had expected they would need to climb something one way or another and started stretching her arms in preparation, but the last thing she expected was for Milo to push aside the vines and reveal a perfectly concealed cave entrance that lead deeper into the cliffside.

"Watch for Grimm," he warned in a whisper.

Carefully stepping through the dark tunnel, Yang could see a light coming in from the opposite side. The air was misty and warm against her skin, making the cave feel akin to a relaxing sauna. Thankfully no Grimm were present, and they were now standing behind the waterfall as it raced in front of them.

"This is where my parents met," Milo said sadly. "They ran away from home and both found this place on their own. They never separated until she died when I was born."

Yang could relate. She wanted to say that she knew what it was like to not know her real mother, but she didn't dare interrupt this. They sat next to each other a dozen feet from the falls, the young blonde resting her head on Milo's shoulder with their backs to the cave wall.

"We were a good family, but..." he sadly closed his eyes as he painfully recollected the memories.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, taking his hand in reassurance. "What happened to you?"

He took a deep breath and gripped her hand tightly. He stared into a small puddle at the center of the cave, recollecting the single most scarring memory of his life. "Once upon a time there was a kid named Milo, who dreamt of soaring through the clouds with wings..."

From the early days of his childhood to the moment Nova was created, he told her _everything_.

* * *

Blake sighed as she slapped the book closed, shaking her head and rubbing her exhausted eyes. She had spent the last ten minutes on a single page, never seeming to be able to focus enough to actually read the words.

She absentmindedly plucked at the soft grass as many thoughts and emotions plagued her mind, feeling uncertain with her team's cause as well as Adam's. Both seemed to agree on one thing, that to fight was the only possible solution. And then, of course, there was Milo; a young man who Adam said killed his own sister.

She didn't think Nova would do such a thing, but a restored Milo with wings and full memories was an entirely different person. Less forgiving, more aggressive, and set enough in what appears to be his own cause to openly fight General Ironwood during the attack on vale, who only survived because of the intervention of his right-hand soldier, Winter Schnee. Perhaps Milo _did_ kill Cinder Fall, out of anger for orchestrating the attack if nothing else. Or maybe there was a whole lot more to his story. Lie Ren always said a Phoenix was a great deceiver.

But what of her own cause? She came to Beacon to try and change people's opinion on Faunus and the White Fang and to stop the organization's crimes, only to accomplish nothing. Adam offered for her to return to his side but her entire reason for leaving was because they were hurting innocents. And she had a feeling that wasn't about to change. Did he know how it hurt her heart?

It felt as though she were falling like a leaf in the wind, with no ability to control where she might land.

"Is everything alright?" a kind voice asked. Blake blinked away her thoughts and lifted her gaze. Lie Ren was kneeling a few feet away, giving her a concerned look. "You look like something is bothering you."

Blake sighed, shaking her head as her gaze returned to the book in her lap. "I'll be fine, thank you though, for your concern." She traced the leathery creases of the old binding. Her ears squared on him as he took a seat across from her rather than quietly leave her to her business like he usually did.

"I know your partner has been... distracted," he said with a hint of disdain. "And if you're any bit of the thinker I am, then you need someone to talk to. Seeing as the others aren't quite observant enough to notice, I am here to offer what help I can."

Blake smiled in thanks, her eyes downcast. Ren was always remarkably good at reading people, so much so that it wouldn't surprise her in the slightest if he figured out she was a faunus long before it was ever revealed to the group. He is ever-quiet, ever-watchful, and very protective... like any true Huntsman.

She respected him greatly, and could see how a certain hyperactive hammer-wielder could become obsessed. "I can't seem to stop thinking about my part in this conflict."

"Are you having doubts?" he questioned with a worried expression.

Blake sighed as she unconsciously began toying with her long black hair, which curled loosely over her slender shoulders. "I've always had doubts," she mumbled. "I've put so much thought into what I should do for myself, for the Faunus... I've fought for and against both sides in this war, but neither side makes me feel like I'm in the right place."

"I see," the young man frowned.

"I don't know what to do," she said softly, her heart growing heavy in her chest.

Ren rubbed his chin as he pondered for a moment. "If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be?" he questioned.

The fidgeting stopped as the young faunus gave him a confused glance because of the seemingly out of place question.

"What?"

"Just bear with me," he insisted, waving away her confusion. "Imagine your perfect day. What do you have? What are you doing? What makes it a perfect day?"

She was about to object but thought better of it, choosing instead to dig deep into her desires and find what she truly wanted.

What would be her perfect day? As she closed her eyes, she found herself not in Mistral, but Vale. She was alone in the waning light of the afternoon sun, sitting cross legged in the forest. It was quiet, her sensitive ears hearing nothing but the turning pages and the swirling breeze that caught the bed of crimson leaves so well known to Forever Fall, causing them to dance in circles around her. There were no Grimm. There was no war, only the steady breeze and dancing leaves. It was enough to make her smile.

Everything was calm, quiet, peaceful.

It was _peaceful_.

"Peace," she whispered. Her eyes fluttered open as she returned to Mistral and her gaze fell back to Ren. Her cheeks reddened, feeling embarrassed for having become so easily enraptured by her own fantasy. "I-I want there to be peace," she stammered.

The young man gave her a reassuring smile. "As good a cause as any, I would say. One that is certainly worth pursuing."

Blake hesitated, biting her lip for a moment as her ears drooped. "I'm not sure you understand what that means for me, Ren."

"I became a Huntsman because I have someone I need to protect," he revealed. "It wasn't exactly what I wanted at the time, but rather something I _knew_ needed to be done. Now here I am, happier for it."

Blake opened and closed her mouth, words failing to form around her countless thoughts and emotions. Ren was admitting that he was not fighting for the cause, but was doubtlessly protecting Nora. He didn't _choose_ a side, but rather pursued his own goal which ultimately led him here. Eventually she gave a slow, sad nod of understanding.

"Thank you," she sighed. "For listening... and for helping."

He stood to leave, but hesitated. "I... can't see you as an enemy, Blake. Whatever you choose, remember that there are people here who do care about you, and we could never raise a hand against you." Before she could respond he walked away, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

Blake knew he meant well, but there was nothing simple about choosing what to do when the world was at war.

* * *

" _ **When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."**_

 **-Psalm 56:3**


End file.
